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THE    ADVENTURES 


JAMES   CAPEN   ADAMS 


THE  ADVENTURES 


JAMES  CAPEN  ADAMS 


MOUNTAINEER  AND   GRIZZLY  BEAR  HUNTER 


OF 


CALIFORNIA 


BY 

THEODORE    H.   HITTELL 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW    YORK 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1926 


Copyright,  1911,  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


Published  February,  1911 
Second  Impression,      May,  19H 
Third  Impression,         July,  1912 
Fourth  Impression,  August,  1926 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION 

ix 

PART   I. 

CHAP. 

PAGE 

I. 

SKETCH   OF   MY   EARLIER      LIFE 

1 

II. 

THE    GRIZZLY    BEAR      ..... 

9 

III. 

LADY   WASHINGTON 

19 

IV. 

THE    WAY    TO    CAMP 

.       29 

V. 

ANTELOPE    HUNTING 

37 

VI. 

TRAP   BUILDING 

.       44 

vn. 

IN  THE    CHAPARRAL            ..... 

50 

VIII. 

BEAR   EDUCATION 

.       58 

IX. 

A    DAY   AND    NIGHT's   ADVENTURES   . 

65 

X. 

CAMP   LIFE 

.       74 

XI. 

THE   ART    OF   TRAPPING                .... 

8 

XII. 

THE    INDIANS         ...... 

.       90 

XIII. 

PROGRESS  OF  LADY  WASHINGTON'S  EDUCATION    . 

103 

XIV. 

BUFFALO    HUNTING 

.     113 

XV. 

TEXAN    HUNTERS      ...... 

121 

XVI. 

ELK   HUNTING 

.     128 

XVII. 

MISHAPS 

137 

XVIII. 

IN   THE   CHAPARRAL   AGAIN 

.     149 

XIX. 

OUR   CARAVAN             

160 

XX. 

THE   ROAD   TO    PORTLAND 
V 

.     171 

81 n7Ra 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


PART   II. 


CHAP. 

I.  OUR  CAMP  IN  THE   SIERRA   NEVADA 

II.  YOSEMITE 

III.  BEN   FRANKLIN  .... 

IV.  PASSAGE   OF   THE   SIERRA    NEVADA 
V.  DOWN   THE   EASTERN   SLOPE     . 

VI.  walker's   river   COUNTRY 

VII.  THE    HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS     . 

VIII.  AMONG   THE   DENS 

IX.  A   HUMBOLDT   TEMPEST    . 

X.  THE    GREAT   BASIN 

XI.  THE   ROCKY   MOUNTAINS 

XII.  THE    SIERRA   NEVADA   AGAIN 

XIII.  SAMSON 

XIV.  CORRAL   HOLLOW 
XV.  ALONG   THE   COAST   RANGE 

XVI.  Joaquin's  valley 

XVII.  TULARE   LAKE   AND   KERN   RIVER      . 

XVIII.  THE   TEJON  .... 

XIX.  JAGUARS  

XX.  THE   COAST   RANGE   AGAIN — CONCLUSION 
POSTSCRIPT      .... 


PAGE 

178 
188 
199 
214 
227 
234 
241 
252 
259 
267 
274 
285 
292 
301 
311 
324 
334 
344 
353 
362 
371 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PART   I. 


James  Capen  Adams    .....       frontispikcb 

FACING  PAGE 

The  dead  Grizzly  and  her  Cubs           ...  19 

Adams  and  the  Elk            50 

Kennasket's  Present 74 

The  frightened  Grizzly 103 

Adams  and  the  Buffalo 137 


PART  II. 

Adams  and  Ben  Franklin 178 

Adams  and  the  Wolf 199 

The  Panther 241 

Samson 292 

Wild  Cattle 324 

The  Jaquar  353 

vii 


INTRODUCTION. 

A  STATEMENT  of  the  circumstances  under  which  I 
wrote  "The  Adventures  of  James  Capen  Adams, 
Mountaineer  and  Grizzly  Bear  Hunter  of  CaUfornia," 
may  be  not  uninteresting.  In  the  early  part  of  Octo- 
ber, 1856,  while  in  charge  of  the  local  department  of 
the  Daily  Evening  Bulletin  newspaper  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  my  attention  was  attracted  to  a  small 
placard  at  the  door  of  a  basement  on  the  south  side 
of  Clay,  near  Leidesdorff,  Street.  It  announced  the 
exhibition  there  of  "The  Mountaineer  Museum" — a 
collection  of  wild  animals  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  the 
principal  of  which  were  "Samson,  the  largest  Grizzly 
Bear  ever  caught,  weighing  over  1500  pounds,  Lady 
Washington  (with  her  cub),  weighing  1000  pounds, 
and  Benjamin  Franklin,  King  of  the  Forest." 

Descending  the  stairway,  I  found  a  remarkable 
spectacle.  The  basement  was  a  large  one  but  with  a 
low  ceiUng,  and  dark  and  dingy  in  appearance.  In 
the  middle,  chained  to  the  floor,  were  two  large  grizzly 
bears,  which  proved  to  be  Benjamin  Franklin  and 
Lady  Washington.  They  were  pacing  restlessly  in 
circles  some  ten  feet  in  diameter,  their  chains  being 
about  five  feet  long,  and  occasionally  rearing  up, 
rattling  their  irons,  and  reversing  their  direction.  Not 
far  off  on  one  side,  likewise  fastened  with  chains,  were 
seven  other   bears,  several    of  them  young   grizzlies, 

ix 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

three  or  four  black  bears,  and  one  a  cinnamon.  Near 
the  front  of  the  apartment  was  an  open  stall,  in  which 
were  haltered  two  large  elks.  Further  back  was  a 
row  of  cages,  containing  cougars  and  other  California 
animals.  There  were  also  a  few  eagles  and  other 
birds.  At  the  rear,  in  a  very  large  iron  cage,  was  the 
monster  grizzly  Samson.  He  was  an  immense  creature 
weighing  some  three-quarters  of  a  ton;  and  from  his 
look  and  actions,  as  well  as  from  the  care  taken  to 
rail  him  oft"  from  spectators,  it  was  evident  that  he  was 
not  to  be  approached  too  closely. 

In  the  midst  of  this  strange  menagerie  was  Adams, 
the  proprietor — quite  as  strange  as  any  of  his  animals. 
He  was  a  man  a  little  over  medium  size,  muscular  and 
wiry,  with  sharp  features  and  penetrating  eyes.  He 
was  apparently  about  fifty  years  of  age;  but  his  hair 
was  very  gray  and  his  beard  very  white.  He  was 
dressed  in  coat  and  pantaloons  of  buckskin,  fringed  at 
the  edges  and  along  the  seams  of  arms  and  legs.  On 
his  head  he  wore  a  cap  of  deerskin,  ornamented  with 
a  fox-tail,  and  on  his  feet  buckskin  moccasins.  An 
excellent  likeness  of  him,  as  well  as  of  his  favorite  bear, 
is  presented  in  the  illustration,  drawn  from  life  by 
Charles  Nahl,  entitled  "Adams  and  Ben  Franklin."* 

After  looking  cursorily  at  the  different  animals,  I 
became  particularly  interested  in  the  bears  Ben  Frank- 
lin and  Lady  Washington.  Adams  seemed  to  have 
perfect  control  over  them.  He  placed  his  hands  upon 
their  jaws  and  even  in  their  mouths,  to  show  their 
teeth.  He  made  them  rear  on  their  hind  legs  and 
*  See  illustration  facing  page  178. 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

walk  erect,  growl  when  he  ordered  them  to  talk,  and 
perform  various  tricks.  He  put  them  to  boxing  and 
wrestling,  sometimes  with  himself,  sometimes  with 
each  other;  and  they  went  through  the  performance 
with  good  nature  and  great  apparent  enjoyment  of  the 
sport. 

One  thing  especially  noteworthy,  in  addition  to  the 
docility  of  the  huge  beasts,  was  the  fact  that  the  hair 
was  worn  off  of  portions  of  their  backs.  Upon  my 
asking  the  reason,  Adams  answered  that  it  w^as  caused 
by  pack-saddles.  This  led  to  further  questions,  in 
reply  to  which  he  gave  a  brief  account  of  how  he  had 
lived  in  the  mountains  for  several  years;  how  he  had 
caught  and  trained  his  bears,  and,  among  other  things, 
how  on  occasions  he  had  used  them  as  pack-animals. 
I  asked  to  see  the  pack-saddles,  but  was  answered  that 
they  had  not  been  brought  from  the  mountains.  At 
the  same  time  Adams  said  he  would  show  how  the 
bears  would  carry  burdens;  and,  after  loosing  Ben 
Franklin  and  jumping  upon  his  back,  he  rode  several 
times  around  the  apartment.  He  next  threw  a  bag  of 
grain  on  the  animal's  back,  and  the  bear  carried  it  as 
if  used  to  the  task. 

My  interest  became  thoroughly  aroused.  Within 
the  next  few  days,  I  inserted  in  the  newspaper  several 
notices  of  the  exhibition  and  also  a  short  account  of 
Adams  and  the  strange  life  he  had  been  leading. 
These  notices  attracted  attention;  and,  in  the  course 
of  a  month  or  two,  Adams's  receipts  from  his  show 
enabled  him  to  hire  and  fit  up  the  spacious  first 
floor  of  the  California  Exchange  on  the  northeast  comer 


XU  INTRODUCTION. 

of  Kearny  and  Clay  Streets,  where  in  December,  1856, 
he  established  "The  Pacific  Museum."  There  until 
August,  1859,  and  thereafter  in  the  Pavilion  building 
on  the  site  of  the  present  Lick  House  until  the  end  of 
1859,  he  continued  to  give  exhibitions,  which  were 
witnessed  by  many  thousands  of  visitors. 

During  all  those  years  Adams  lived  among  his  ani- 
mals. He  continued  to  wear  buckskin;  and  when 
seen  on  the  street,  it  was  almost  always  in  his  moun- 
taineer garb.  He  slept,  on  a  buffalo  robe  or  bear-skin, 
in  one  comer  of  his  exhibition  room  or  in  a  small  ad- 
joining chamber.  He  sometimes  cooked  his  own  meals, 
but  usually  dined  at  a  restaurant.  From  time  to  time 
he  added  other  attractions  to  his  exhibition;  but  he 
was  not  a  business  man  and  did  not  save  money;  so 
that  about  the  beginning  of  1860 — when  he  removed 
his  collection  to  New  York — he  was  substantially  as 
poor  in  purse  as  when  he  first  came  to  San  Francisco, 

Between  July,  1857,  and  December,  1859,  he  nar- 
rated to  me  his  adventures  in  full.  He  understood  my 
purpose  to  be,  if  the  story  should  prove  sufficiently  in- 
teresting, to  make  a  book.  He  seemed  flattered  and  was 
evidently  pleased  with  the  idea.  My  custom  was  to  go 
to  his  place  in  the  afternoon,  after  the  newspaper  went 
to  press,  and  write  down  what  he  had  to  say.  He 
would  usually  talk  for  an  hour  or  two;  but  there  were 
many  interruptions.  I  told  him  plainly  that  I  wanted 
nothing  except  the  truth,  and  he  assured  me  that  he 
would  give  it.  On  various  occasions  I  cross-questioned 
him  sharply;  but  his  replies  were  always  satisfactory 
and,  I  believe,  truthful.     His  memory  seemed  i-emark- 


INTRODUCTION.  XIll 

ably  good.  In  writing  my  notes,  I  to  some  extent  cor- 
rected his  language,  but  put  down  in  substance  all  he 
told  me.  And  from  the  notes  thus  taken,  with  many 
omissions  of  unimportant  details,  I  subsequently,  in 
the  winter  of  1859-60,  wrote  out  the  following  narra- 
tive. 

An  edition  of  the  work  was  published  at  Boston 
and  also  at  San  Francisco  in  1860,  just  before  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  and  some  copies  were 
disposed  of ;  but,  on  account  of  business  troubles, 
occasioned  by  the  war,  the  publication  was  discon- 
tinued and  the  book  went  "out  of  print."  The 
present  new  edition  is  issued  in  exactly  the  same  form, 
so  far  as  type,  illustrations,  and  binding  are  concerned, 
as  the  first  edition;  and  the  only  additions  are  this 
introduction  and  the  postscript  at  the  end. 

San  Francisco,  December,  1910. 

Theodore  H.  Hittell. 


THE  ADVENTURES 


JAMES    CAPEN    ADAMS. 


PART  FIRST. 
CHAPTER  I. 

SKETCH   OF   MY    EARLIER   LIFE. 

Birth.  Trade.  Early  Hunting.  Zeal  in  Hunting.  Adventure 
■with  a  Bengal  Tiger.  Seriously  Injured.  Benefit  of  a  Trade. 
Work  at  Boston.  Speculation.  Ruination.  Emigration.  Cali- 
fornia. Occupations  in  California.  Struggles  with  Fortune. 
Retirement  to  the  Mountains.  Personal  Appearance  and  Con- 
stitution. Qualifications  for  Mountain  Life.  Outfit.  First 
Impressions  of  the  Mountains.  Mountain  Scenery.  California 
Indians.  Indian  Intercourse  Buckskin  Dressing.  Approach  of 
Winter.     Mountain  Economy.     Mountain  Life. 

My  name  is  James  Capen  Adams.  I  was  bom  on 
October  20th,  1807,  in  the  town  of  Medway,  Massa- 
chusetts. My  parents,  who  were  honest  and  respect- 
able people,  bred  me  up  from  an  early  age  to  the 
trade  of  shoemaking;  but,  being  of  a  roving  and  ad- 
venturous disposition,  I  no  sooner  attained  my  ma- 
jority than  I  threw  aside  the  pegging  awl,  and  hired 
myself  to  a  company  of  showmen  as  a  collector  of 
wild  beasts.  In  pursuance  of  my  engagements  with 
this  company,  I  hunted  through  the  forests  of  Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont,  and  captured  many 
panthers,  wolves,  wild-cats,  foxes,  and  other  animals. 


2  SKETCH   OF   MY    EARLIER   LIFE. 

which  were  subsequently  exhibited  and  admired 
throughout  the  country; — but  all  these  were  small 
game  in  comparison  with  what  it  was  my  destiny 
aftenvards  to  hunt. 

It  was  a  characteristic  of  my  youth,  as  it  has  been 
of  my  subsequent  life,  to  take  hold  of  a  subject  con- 
genial to  my  tastes  with  a  whole  soul;  and,  as  this 
business  of  hunting  suited  my  turn  of  mind,  it  would 
be  difficult  to  tell  how  far  my  zeal  might  have  carried 
me,  what  labors  I  might  have  attempted,  and  what 
achievements  I  might  have  performed,  had  not  an 
accident  disabled  me  while  still  a  young  man.  This 
unfortunate  affair  occurred  in  the  following  manner: 
my  employers  had,  in  their  collection  of  animals,  a 
royal  Bengal  tiger,  which  had  become  refractory. 
They  requested  me  to  reclaim  him;  and,  not  doubt- 
ing my  ability,  I  entered  his  cage  a  number  of  times. 
On  the  last  occasion,  however,  the  magnificent  but 
treacherous  beast  struck  me  to  the  floor  and  buried 
his  teeth  and  claws  in  my  flesh.  When  taken  from 
the  cage,  I  was  insensible,  and  my  injuries  so  serious 
that  for  a  long  period  recovery  was  problematical. 
By  this  accident — if  that  can  properly  be  called  ac- 
cident, which  was  brought  about  by  my  own  rash- 
ness— my  constitution  w^as  shattered;  and  for  many 
years  my  hunting  was  at  an  end. 

The  benefit  of  teaching  a  young  man  some  honest 
and  useful  handicraft,  whatever  may  be  his  ulterior 
destination  in  life,  was  well  exemplified  in  my  case 
now;  for,  had  it  not  been  for  shoemaking,  I  should 
have  become  a  burden  not  only  to  myself  but  to  my 


SKETCH  OF   MY   EARLIER   LIFE.  6 

family.  Fortunately,  my  injuries,  which  affected  the 
spine,  were  of  such  a  character  as  not  to  prevent  the 
free  use  of  my  hands;  and,  removing  to  Boston,  I 
went  to  work  at  my  trade  again,  and  more  than  sup- 
ported myself.  From  that  time  I  continued  perse- 
veringly  employed  for  fifteen  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  period  my  gainings  amounted  to  some  six  or 
eight  thousand  dollars;  when,  Yankee  that  I  was,  I 
must  needs  speculate.  Accordingly,  converting  all 
my  means  into  a  cargo  of  boots  and  shoes,  I  shipped 
them  to  St.  Louis  in  the  hope  of  doubling  or  trebling 
my  capital;  but,  instead  of  becoming  suddenly  rich, 
I  had  the  misfortune  to  see  them  all  consumed  in  a 
fire  which  occurred  in  that  city;  and  in  one  short  night 
I  found  myself  a  ruined  man.  This  sad  event,  as  it 
happened,  took  place  at  the  time  when  the  great  gold 
fever  broke  out,  and  intense  excitement  about  Cali- 
fornia prevailed  over  the  whole  country.  In  one  yea 
over  a  hundred  thousand  persons  put  themselves  upo 
the  way  for  the  shores  of  the  Pacific;  and  I  could  not 
do  otherwise,  I  thought,  than  join  that  mighty  mi- 
gration. I  seized  the  opportunity  as  one  offered  me 
by  fortune;  and,  after  numberless  hardships  and  pri- 
vations, arrived  in  California,  by  the  way  of  Mexico, 
overland,  in  the  fall  of  1849. 

From  the  period  of  my  arrival  in  the  country  till  I 
went  into  the  mountains,  my  occupations  were  various, 
— sometimes  mining,  sometimes  trading,  sometimes 
raising  stock  and  farming.  Sometimes  I  was  rich,  at 
other  times  poor.  At  one  time,  in  1850,  while  farm- 
ing in  the  neighborhood  of  Stockton   I  possessed  thou- 


4  SKETCH   OF   IVIY   EARLIER   LIFE. 

sands  of  dollars'  worth  of  cattle,  most  of  which  were 
stolen  from  me  m  a  single  night.  At  another  time,  I 
possessed  mining  claims,  which  ought  to  have  made 
me  very  wealthy;  and,  at  another,  lands,  which  are 
now  worth  many  fortunes;  but  one  after  the  other 
passed  out  of  my  hands,  partly  on  account  of  my  own 
reckless  speculations,  partly  through  the  villainy  of 
others.  In  the  space  of  three  years,  I  failed  three 
times;  from  the  height  of  prosperity  I  was  plunged 
into  the  depths  of  difficulty;  until  at  last,  in  the  fall 
of  1852,  disgusted  with  the  world  and  dissatisfied 
with  myself,  I  abandoned  all  my  schemes  for  the 
accumulation  of  wealth,  turned  my  back  upon  the 
society  of  my  fellows,  and  took  the  road  toward 
the  wildest  and  most  unfrequented  parts  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  resolved  thenceforth  to  make  the  wilderness 
my  home  and  wild  beasts  my  companions. 

My  hair  was  already  beginning  to  turn  gray;  and 
as  I  wore  it  long,  with  long,  gray  beard,  and  long 
mustaches, — such  being  the  custom  of  those  days, — 
my  appearance  was  that  of  an  old  man,  though,  in 
truth,  I  was  but  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  could  bear 
almost  any  degree  of  exposure,  privation,  or  fatigue. 
My  general  temperance  and  active  avocations  had 
strengthened  and  hardened  my  frame,  so  that  to 
walk  during  a  whole  day,  or  to  endure  hunger  or 
thirst,  was  comparatively  easy.  To  shoot  well  had 
been  a  part  of  my  early  education;  and  as  to  all  that 
appertained  to  the  procurement  of  provisions  in  a 
country  of  game,  I  considered  myself  well  qualified 
for  mountain  life.    So  far  as  concerned  my  outfit,  I 


SKETCH   OF    MY    EARLIER   LIFE.  5 

could  save  but  little  out  of  the  wreck  of  my  estate. 
I  managed,  however,  to  retain  an  old  wagon,  two 
oxen,  an  old  Kentucky  rifle  which  used  thirty  balls  to 
the  pound  of  lead,  a  Tennessee  rifle  which  used  sixty, 
a  Colt's  revolving  pistol,  and  several  bowie-knives. 
Besides  these,  my  effects  were  poor  indeed, — a  few 
tools,  several  pairs  of  blankets,  a  little  clothing,  and 
this  was  all. 

Notwithstanding  such  scanty  preparation,  I  drove 
up  into  the  mountains  with  a  buoyant  and  hopeful 
spirit;  and  it  gives  me  pleasure,  even  now,  to  recall 
my  lively  feelings  upon  mounting  the  scarred  and 
rugged  shoulders  of  the  Sierra.  The  roads  were 
very  rough;  my  team  was  none  of  the  strongest;  I 
had  to  rely  on  my  rifle  for  provisions  and  the  roadside 
for  pasture;  but  the  new  and  romantic  scenes  into 
which  I  was  advancing,  enchanted  my  imagination, 
and  seemed  to  inspire  me  with  a  new  life.  The 
fragrance  of  the  pines  and  the  freshness  and  beauty 
of  nature  in  those  elevated  regions  were  perfectly 
delightful  to  me.  The  mountain  air  was  in  my  nos- 
trils, the  evergreens  above,  and  the  eternal  rocks 
around;  and  I  seemed  to  be  a  part  of  the  vast  land- 
scape, a  kind  of  demigod  in  the  glorious  and  magnifi- 
cent creation. 

The  country  about  the  headwaters  of  those  rivers, 
which  run  from  the  Sierra  into  the  San  Joaquin,  is 
subUme  on  account  of  the  magnitude  of  the  mountain 
masses  which  compose  it.  The  cliffs  are  of  enormous 
size  and  extent;  and  everything  conspires  to  render 
the  scene  grand  and  imposing  to  the  last  degree.     In 


0  SKETCH   OF   MY    EAELIER   LIFE. 

many  places,  the  rocks  rise  In  towering  proportions, 
perfectly  bare,  from  the  midst  of  the  forests  which, 
though  composed  of  giants  in  themselves,  seem 
dwarfed  in  comparison.  The  trees  are,  many  of 
them,  of  the  most  magnificent  description,  principally 
of  evergreen  kinds;  but  there  are  also  oak,  ash,  and 
other  deciduous  species.  The  soil  is  generally  scanty; 
but  along  the  streams,  there  is  much  that  is  good; 
and  there  are  many  valleys  affording  abundant  herb- 
age and  beautiful  meadows.  In  almost  all  the  defiles, 
gorges,  and  canons,  there  is  chaparral  and  brush  in 
crowded  profusion,  among  which  are  to  be  found 
manzanita,  juniper,  laurel,  whortleberry,  and  many 
other  mountain  bushes;  also  many  vines  and  weeds, 
which  form  tangled,  and  almost  impenetrable,  thickets. 
Such,  briefly,  was  the  character  of  the  region  in  which 

1  now  chose  out  a  little  valley,  on  a  northern  branch 
of  the  INIerced  River,  twenty  or  thirty  miles  north- 
east of  the  famous  Yo-Semite,  and  a  hundred  and 
sixty  miles  east  of  San  Francisco. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  my  camping  place,  there 
happened  to  be  one  of  those  restless  tribes  of  Cali- 
fornia Indians,  who  are  accustomed  to  migrate  from 
the  plains  to  the  mountains,  and  from  the  mountains 
to  the  plains,  as  the  seasons  change  and  the  game 
upon  which  they  live  goes  up  or  dowTi.  These  chil- 
dren of  nature  lived  upon  the  fish  which  they  caught 
in  the  streams,  and  the  small  animals  which  they  killed 
on  the  land;  also,  upon  nuts,  acorns,  berries,  and 
roots,  sometimes  upon  insects  and  sometimes  upon 
grasses.     At  the  time  of  my  advent  among  them  in 


SKETCH   OF   MY    EARLIER   LIFE.  7 

the  fall,  thouo;li  plenty  still  smiled  upon  their  larders, 
I  aided  to  give  them  abundance;  for  there  was  much 
game,  and  I  was  liberal  with  what  cost  me  so  little 
trouble  to  procure.  In  return  for  this  liberality,  the 
Indians  assisted  me  in  building  a  wigwam  and  gather- 
ing and  drying  grass  for  the  use  of  my  oxen  in  the 
winter.  They  also  assisted  in  tanning  the  skins  of 
the  deer  I  killed,  and  in  making  me  several  complete 
suits  of  buckskin,  which  I  then  adopted  as  my  cos- 
tume, and  in  which,  ever  since,  I  have  generally 
dressed.  Next  my  body  I  wore  a  heavy  woollen  gar- 
ment, and  on  my  head  an  untanned  deer-skin  cap, 
lined  with  rabbit's  fur,  and  ornamented  with  a  fox's 
tail;  but  all  the  rest  of  my  clothing  was  buckskin, 
— that  is  to  say,  coat,  pantaloons,  and  moccasins. 

Having  thus  provided  myself  in  every  particular,  as 
well  as  I  was  able,  I  awaited  the  advancing  winter. 
As  it  began  to  grow  cold,  the  Indians  moved  down  the 
river,  according  to  their  custom;  the  mountains  be- 
came deserted;  the  snows  fell,  and  soon  a  wild  waste 
surrounded  me  on  every  side.  From  now  on  I  was 
perfectly  alone,  and  did  not  see  another  human  being 
for  months.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  those  months  were 
among  the  happiest  of  my  life.  My  habitation  was 
warm  and  comfortable;  my  health  excellent;  my  time 
pleasantly  and  continuously  occupied.  I  had  enough 
to  eat  and  drink,  for  game  of  some  kind  never  failed; 
and  there  was  no  lack  of  the  purest  and  freshest  water. 
When  the  little  stock  of  groceries,  which  I  had  brought 
along,  ran  out,  various  kinds  of  grass  seeds,  pounded 
into  meal,  served  for  flour,  and  roasted  acorns  made 


8  SKETCH   OF   MY    EARLIER   LIFE. 

a  substitute  for  coffee.  The  sugar-pine  trees  fur- 
nished that  sweet  gum,  called  pine  sugar,  which  ex- 
udes from  bruises  in  their  trunks;  and  many  were  the 
receipts  and  expedients  in  mountain  economy,  which 
now  became  my  special  study.  In  making  myself 
comfortable,  I  found  pleasant  and  beneficial  occu- 
pation, and  I  may  say  that  I  was  as  happy  as  a  king. 

Such  was  my  first  experience;  and  it  was  the  earnest 
of  what,  on  nearer  and  longer  familiarity,  I  found 
mountain  life  really  to  be.  I  was  peculiarly  fitted 
for  it.  Even  the  mountain  winters,  severe  as  they 
are,  were  better  suited  to  my  tastes  than  the  Italian 
beauties  of  the  climate  on  the  coast;  and,  as  will  be 
seen  in  the  course  of  my  narrative,  for  three  succes- 
sive years,  though  wandering  during  the  summers  in 
distant  regions,  I  always  returned  to  pass  the  win- 
ters in  the  high  portions  of  the  Sierra  Nevada. 


THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    GRIZZLY    BEAR. 

Greatness  of  the  Grizzly  Bear.  Character  of  the  Lion.  Character  of 
the  Tiger.  Character  of  the  Grizzly  of  California.  Neighborhood 
of  the  Grizzly.  Armed  Neutrality.  Object  in  entering  the  Moun- 
tains. Visit  of  William  Adams.  Comparison  of  Fortunes. 
William's  Propositions.  Our  Contract.  Preparations  for  Travel. 
William  Sykesey.  The  Indian  Boys  Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus. 
The  Party  and  Equipments.  May  Morning  in  the  Mountains. 
The  Shoulders  of  the  Sierra.  Through  Oregon  into  Washington. 
A  Nondescript  of  Southern  Oregon.  Range  of  the  Grizzly  Bear. 
The  Rocky  Mountain  Grizzly.  The  Californian  Grizzly.  The 
Grizzly  of  Washington,  Oregon,  and  New  Mexico 

The  mountains  which  I  have  been  describing  are 
the  favorite  haunts  of  the  grizzly  bear,  the  monarch 
of  American  beasts,  and,  in  many  respects,  the  most 
formidable  animal  in  the  world  to  be  encountered. 
In  comparison  with  the  lion  of  Africa  and  the  tiger 
of  Asia,  though  these  may  exhibit  more  activity  and 
bloodthirstiness,  the  grizzly  is  not  second  in  courage 
and  excels  them  in  power.  Like  the  regions  which 
he  inhabits,  there  is  a  vastness  in  his  strength,  which 
makes  him  a  fit  companion  for  the  monster  trees  and 
giant  rocks  of  the  Sierra,  and  places  him,  if  not  the 
first,  at  least  in  the  first  rank,  of  all  quadrupeds. 

The  lion,  celebrated  from  time  immemorial  as  a 
noble  and  generous  brute,  is,  I  grant,  a  splendid  ani- 
mal. When  seen  in  his  native  wilds,  with  head  erect 
and  black  mane  floating  over  mighty  shoulders,  he 


10  THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR. 

presents  a  magnificent  spectacle.  AMien  standing  at 
bay  also,  with  eye  darting  fire,  and  lashing  his  tawny 
sides  with  fury,  he  makes  a  terrific  picture.  Hun- 
dreds and  hundreds  of  years  ago,  when  animals  first 
became  known  to  literature,  the  old  fabulists,  impressed 
with  his  proud  bearing,  awarded  to  him  his  splendid 
reputation;  they  clothed  him  with  the  attributes  of 
majesty;  and  few,  since  then,  have  ventured  to  deny 
his  royalty,  none  to  dispute  his  title  of  king  of. beasts. 
But,  if  Ave  pursue  him  into  his  lairs  and  follow  him 
on  his  midnight  prowls,  we  soon  detect  the  sneaking, 
cat-like  qualities,  which  are  bom  in  him,  and  w^hich 
must  and  will  exhibit  themselves  in  one  mode  or  an- 
other. In  the  face  of  the  world,  the  lion  stands  noble, 
magnificent,  magnanimous;  but  in  private  life,  he  is 
rapacious,  cruel,  ever  watchful  for  advantages,  and 
frequently  a  feeder  on  carrion. 

The  tiger  of  India  occupies  a  place  in  natural  his- 
tory next  to  the  lion,  and  is  classed  with  him  among  the 
most  powerful  and  mighty  of  brutes.  His  path,  it  is 
true,  is  always  red  with  blood,  but  it  is  the  blood  of 
inferiors;  he  fears  his  equals  and  flies  from  those 
above  him.  Like  a  midnight  assassin,  he  creeps 
through  his  native  jungles  and  makes  a  desolation 
around  him;  but  his  is  the  might  of  blood  and 
butchery. 

The  grizzly  bear  of  California,  in  the  consciousness 
of  strength  and  the  magnanimity  of  courage,  alone 
of  all  animals,  stands  unappallcd  in  the  face  of  any 
enemy,  and  turns  not  from  the  sight  of  man.  He 
may  not  seek  the  conflict,  but  he  never  flies  from  it. 


THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR.  11 

He  may  not  feed  upon  royal  meat,  nor  feel  the  flow 
of  royal  blood  in  his  veins;  but  he  is  unapproachable, 
overwhelming.  The  lion  and  the  tiger  are  like  the 
deserts  with  their  fiery  simoons  and  tornadoes;  the  griz- 
zly bear  of  California,  like  the  mountains  with  their 
frosts  and  avalanches. 

This  was  the  animal  which  ranged,  monarch  of  all 
he  surveyed,  on  every  side  of  me.  I  frequently  saw 
him;  he  was  to  be  found,  I  knew,  in  the  bushy 
gorges  in  all  directions;  and  sometimes,  in  my  hunts, 
I  would  send  a  distant  shot  after  him ;  but,  as  a  gen- 
eral rule,  during  this  first  winter,  I  paid  him  the 
respect  to  keep  out  of  his  way;  and  he  seemed 
somewhat  ceremonious  in  return.  Not  by  any  means 
that  he  feared  me;  but  he  did  not  invite  the  combat, 
and  I  did  not  venture  it.  A  few  months  afterwards, 
I  considered  it  a  point  of  honor  to  give  battle  in 
every  case;  but  at  this  period  bear  hunting  was  not 
specially  an  object  of  either  my  ambition  or  incli- 
nation. 

Upon  entering  the  mountains,  indeed,  it  was  with- 
out any  idea  of  devoting  attention  to  bear  hunting  as 
a  business.  I  went  to  live  in  peace,  not  to  levy  war 
upon  the  natives  of  the  forest,  any  more  than  might 
be  necessary  for  my  support  or  recreation.  But  an 
event  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1853,  which  gave  a 
direction  and  purpose  to  my  mountain  life,  and  led 
me  to  undertake  those  hunting  expeditions  and  under- 
go those  dangers  and  perils  of  which  the  history  of 
my  career  chiefly  consists.  This  event  was  the  ar- 
rival of  my  brother  William  in  my  mountain  camp. 


12  THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR. 

He  had  come  to  California  almost  as  early  as  I;  but 
all  my  endeavors  to  find  him  had  been  unavailing. 
Although  there  was  frequent  communication  between 
different  parts  of  the  country,  my  inquiries  were  al- 
ways fruitless;  never  could  I  find  even  a  trace  of 
him.  He  was  a  man  of  few  words,  having  a  tinge  of 
melancholy  in  his  disposition,  and  little  disposed  to 
mingle  much  in  conversation;  so  that,  on  the  other 
hand,  though  he  may  have  met  many  of  my  acquaint- 
ances, he  learned  nothing  of  me.  While  I  was  strug- 
gling in  the  southern  mines  to  retain  what  had  once 
been  mine,  and  was  now  but  a  rough  hunter,  possess- 
ing little  besides  my  rifles  and  my  oxen,  he,  who  had 
settled  in  the  northern  mines,  had  gone  evenly  for- 
ward, accumulated  thousands,  and  was  now  returning, 
a  wealthy  man,  to  the  east.  By  mere  accident,  he 
had  heard  of  my  failures  and  my  subsequent  retire- 
ment to  the  mountains,  and  had  followed  the  clue 
until  he  found  me. 

My  brother  gave  me  a  brief  account  of  his  life  in 
California,  which  had  been  that  of  an  industrious,  en- 
ergetic, and  successful  miner,  and  concluded  with  an 
earnest  invitation  for  me  to  accompany  him  to  our 
home  in  Massachusetts,  where  he  kindly  offered  to 
start  me  in  business  again.  I  could  not  think  for  a 
moment,  however,  of  returning,  a  broken  man,  upon 
his  generosity,  and  replied  that  I  preferred  the  wild 
and  free  life  of  a  hunter  to  the  confinement  of  a  city. 
He  observed  from  this  answer  the  real  state  of  the 
case,  and  made  a  second  proposition,  as  generous  as 
the  first,   and  one  which   I  could   not   refuse.     This 


THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR.  13 

was,  that  he  and  I  should  enter  into  partnership; 
he  to  advance  the  means,  and  I  to  collect  wild  an- 
imals of  California  and  neighboring  countries;  in 
short,  we  soon  drew  up  and  signed  articles,  specifying 
the  conditions  of  a  regular  contract,  providing  for  the 
payment  of  drafts,  and  prescribing  the  disposition  to 
be  made  of  animals;  in  relation  to  which,  it  is  almost 
needless  to  state,  that  a  carte-blanche  was  given  me. 
These  arrangements  being  completed,  my  brother  and 
I  again  parted.  He  proceeded  on  his  way  to  the 
East,  and  I  soon  afterwards  started  upon  my  first 
great  hunting  expedition. 

I  had  long  wished  to  see  Oregon  and  Washington 
territories,  whose  fame  was  known  to  the  world,  even 
before  that  of  California;  and  having  now  a  business 
object,  I  resolved  that  they  should  be  the  first  regions 
I  would  visit.  I  accordingly  left  my  mountain  fast- 
ness and  drove  down  to  a  place  called  Howard's 
Ranch,  laid  in  a  stock  of  ammunition,  and  such  other 
necessaries  as  were  required;  exchanged  my  oxen 
for  mules  and  packsaddles,  and  gathered  such  infor- 
mation regarding  the  northeiTi  countries  and  the  roads 
to  them  as  could  be  obtained.  I  also  opportunely 
fell  in  with  a  young  man,  named  William  Sykesey, 
who  had  been  in  those  regions  before,  and  who  will- 
ingly undertook  to  go  with  me  on  the  expedition. 
This  young  man  came  originally  from  Texas,  and 
seemed  to  have  a  tinge  of  Indian  blood  in  his  veins, 
which  was  betrayed  by  his  high  cheek  bones,  his 
long,  coarse,  black  hair,  and  very  dark  complexion. 
He  had  a  good  rifle  and  was  a  fair  marksman;  and. 


14  THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR. 

being  well  acquainted  with  woodcraft,  my  meeting 
with  him  was  fortunate. 

From  Howard's,  Sykesey  and  1  proceeded,  with 
our  mules  and  packs,  to  Strawberry  Ranch,  near  the 
North  Fork  of  the  Tuolumne  River,  where  we  pro- 
cured the  services  of  two  Indian  boys,  about  twenty 
years  of  age.  These  lads,  who  proved  to  be  true  and 
faithful  fellows,  had  lived  a  portion  of  their  lives  among 
white  people,  could  speak  the  English  language,  and 
understood  the  use  of  the  rifle.  The  elder  of  them, 
from  the  name  of  his  tribe,  I  called  Tuolumne;  the 
younger,  for  the  same  reason,  Stanislaus.  Our  party 
was  now  complete,  consisting  of  myself  and  three  vig- 
orous young  men,  having  two  good  stout  mules.  We 
were  all  four  cased  in  buckskin,  and  three  of  us  carried 
rifles  upon  our  backs;  we  had  also  pistols  and 
knives;  and,  packed  upon  our  mules,  were  camp  fix- 
tures, tools,  a  small  quantity  of  flour,  sugar,  salt, 
other  provisions,  and  other  articles  necessary  for  our 
vocation. 

It  was  a  beautiful  May  morning  when  we  finally 
set  out,  —  a  morning  doubly  beautiful  at  that  season, 
in  those  elevated  mountain  regions.  Nature  had 
arrayed  herself  in  robes  peculiarly  fresh  and  green, 
and  Flora  decked  the  landscape  with  myriad  flowers 
peculiarly  bright  and  lovely.  The  purest  and  most 
invigorating  atmosphere  spread  around,  and  birds  of 
spring  carolled  songs  from  every  tree.  It  was,  in- 
deed, a  delightful  opening  of  the  campaign,  and  we 
set  out  upon  our  travels  with  hopeful  and  glad  hearts. 
We    travelled    northward    from    Strawberry    Ranchj 


THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR.  15 

keeping  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  mountains,  with 
the  snowy  crest  to  our  right  and  the  valley  of  the 
Sacramento  far  to  our  left.  It  was  a  rough  road, 
chosen  only  for  the  reason  that  we  had  to  provide 
ourselves  with  provisions  on  the  way;  and,  frequently, 
as  the  view  opened  here  and  there  down  into  the 
emerald  and  golden  world  below,  we  could  not  for  a 
moment  but  regret  that  we  ever  had  to  pass  beyond 
its  borders.  Happy  the  man  that  can  establish  his 
permanent  home  there,  and  never  be  called  upon  to 
live  under  other  skies! 

Without  stopping  to  examine  the  country,  or  hunt 
more  than  necessary,  we  hastened  on  for  two  weeks 
to  the  Klamath  region;  whence  we  struck  down 
through  that  wilderness  which  lies  between  the  Cas- 
cade and  Blue  mountains.  We  saw  much  to  interest 
us,  on  this  travel,  in  the  mountains,  plains,  forests, 
streams,  and  Indians  of  Southern  Oregon,  but  pushed 
ahead  as  rapidly  as  possible,  leaving  the  lofty  heads 
of  JNIount  Jefferson  and  Mount  Hood  to  our  left,  and 
at  length,  well  worn  with  fatigue,  turned  the  great 
bend  of  the  Columbia,  crossed  Lewis's  River,  and  struck 
out  into  the  country  lying  to  the  northeastward.  We 
came  at  last  to  a  desirable  valley  among  the  hills, 
where  grass  and  water  were  abundant,  about  ten 
miles  distant  from  an  Indian  village  or  rancheria; 
and,  turning  out  our  mules,  we  made  our  camp;  and 
this  constituted  our  headquarters  during  the  entire 
summer. 

In  the  course  of  our  journey,  we  killed  a  number 
of  animals,  and  caught  two  small  black  bear  cubs. 


16  THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR. 

which  we  carried  in  a  hamper  on  one  of  our  mules. 
We  also,  while  near  Klamath  Lake,  saw  a  strange 
beast,  which  resembled  a  hedgehog  with  the  head 
and  feet  of  a  bear.  We  made  all  the  endeavors  in 
our  power  to  catch  it,  but  in  vain;  and  now,  in  look- 
ing back  and  harrowing  my  memory  of  this  curious 
animal,  I  am  unable  to  describe  it  more  particularly. 
It  was  entirely  unknown  to  me,  and  I  had,  very 
unwillingly,  to  leave  it  as  one  of  the  nondescript 
wonders  of  the  Pacific  coast. 

The  region  of  eastern  Washington,  where  we  were 
now  encamped,  contains  many  fine  animals;  but  chief 
among  them  is  the  powerful  one  often  denominated 
the  curly-haired  brown  bear,  which  is  in  reality,  how- 
ever, but  a  variety  of  the  grizzly  species  and  cousin- 
german  of  the  monster  of  California.  There  are 
several  varieties  of  the  grizzly  bear;  or,  to  speak 
more  properly,  perhaps,  the  species  has  a  wide  range, 
extending  from  the  British  Possessions  on  the  north 
to  New  IMexico  on  the  south,  and  from  the  eastern 
spurs  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
He  was  once  frequently  found  on  the  lower  part  of 
the  Missouri,  and  on  the  Mississippi  River;  but  by 
degrees  has  been  driven  back,  until  now,  his  range 
east  of  the  Rocky  chain  is  much  circumscribed.  His 
size,  general  appearance,  and  character,  vary  with 
the  part  of  this  great  region  in  which  he  is  found; 
for  although  courageous  and  ferocious  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  he  is  there  neither  so  large  nor  so  terrible 
as  in  the  Sierra  Nevada,  where  he  attains  his  greatest 
size  and  strength. 


THE  GRIZZLY   BEAR.  17 

The  grizzly  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  seldom,  if 
ever,  reaches  the  weight  of  a  thousand  pounds;  the 
color  of  his  hair  is  almost  white;  he  is  more  dis- 
posed to  attack  man  than  the  same  species  in  other 
regions,  and  has  often  been  known  to  follow  upon  the 
human  track  for  several  hours  at  a  time.  It  was  this 
bear  which  first  became  known  to  the  enlightened 
world;  and  from  him  the  species  was  appropriately 
named  grizzly.  Among  hunters,  he  is  known  as  the 
Rocky  Mountain  white  bear,  to  distinguish  him  from 
other  varieties. 

The  California  grizzly  sometimes  weighs  as  much 
as  two  thousand  pounds.  He  is  of  a  brown  color, 
sprinkled  with  grayish  hairs.  When  aroused,  he  is, 
as  has  been  said  before,  the  most  terrible  of  all  ani- 
mals in  the  world  to  encounter;  but  ordinarily  will 
not  attack  man,  except  under  peculiar  circumstances. 
It  is  of  this  animal  that  the  most  extraordinary  feats 
of  strength  are  recorded.  It  is  said,  with  truth,  that 
he  can  carry  off  a  full-grown  horse  or  buffalo,  and 
that,  with  one  blow  of  his  paw,  he  can  stop  a  mad 
bull  in  full  career.  When  roused,  and  particularly 
when  wounded,  there  is  no  end  to  his  courage;  he 
fights  till  the  last  spark  of  life  expires,  fearing  no 
odds,  and  never  deigning  to  turn  his  heel  upon  the 
combat.  It  is  to  him  that  the  appellations  of  science, 
ursus  ferox  and  iirsus  horribilis,  are  peculiarly  ap- 
plicable. 

The  grizzly  of  Washington  and  Oregon  territories 
resembles  the  bear  of  California,  with  the  exception 
that   he    rarely   attains   so    large   a    size,    and    has   a 


18  THE    GRIZZLY   BEAR. 

browner  coat.  His  hair  is  more  disposed  to  curl 
and  is  thicker,  owing  to  the  greater  coldness  of  the 
climate.  He  is  not  so  savage,  and  can  be  hunted 
with  greater  safety  than  either  the  California  or 
Rocky  JNIountain  bear.  In  New  INIexico,  the  grizzly 
loses  much  of  his  strength  and  power,  and  upon  the 
whole  is  rather  a  timid  and  spiritless  animal. 


p 


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■^ 


r 


X, 


VV     \ 


/  j>        "^^y 


THE    ORAD   (IHIZZLY    AND    HKR    CUBS. 


LADY   WASHINGTON.  19 


CHAPTER  III. 

LADY   WASHINGTON. 

Discovery  of  a  Grizzly  and  Cubs.  Waylaying  and  Death  of  the  Dam. 
Attempt  to  lasso  the  Cubs.  In  a  Tree-top.  Reflections.  Actions 
of  the  Cubs.  Indian  Horses.  Kennasket,  the  Indian  Chief. 
Pompey.  Plan  of  Operations.  Position  of  the  Cubs.  Second 
unsuccessful   Attempt    to  .  +he  Cubs.     Scene  of    Operations 

changed.  New  Plan.  The  S.  g.  A  Night-watch.  Third  un- 
successful Attempt  to  take  the  Cubs.  Tracks  about  the  Spring. 
Wolves.  Howling  of  Wolves.  Adventure  with  a  Black  Bear. 
Second  Night-watch.  Appearance  of  the  Cubs.  Pursuit.  Chase 
and  Capture  of  my  Cub.  Adventure  of  my  Comrades.  Passage 
of  Words.     Lady  Washington. 

Not  far  distant  from  my  camp,  there  was  an  exten- 
sive tract  of  chaparral,  covering  the  side  of  a  broad 
mountain  and  skirting  a  beautiful  valley  of  tender 
herbage.  My  attention  was  attracted  to  it  by  indi- 
cations of  large  bears;  and,  after  a  short  examina- 
tion, I  discovered  on  the  mountain-side  the  den  of 
an  old  grizzly  with  two  yearling  cubs.  The  animals 
were  in  the  habit  of  descending  into  the  valley  every 
night,  and  had  worn  a  trail,  along  which  they  almost 
invariably  passed  in  their  excursions.  I  immediately 
determined,  if  possible,  to  slay  this  dam,  and  make 
myself  master  of  her  offspring,  which  were  two  of  the 
finest  looking  young  beasts  I  had  ever  seen. 

To  resolve  to  do  a  thing,  and  to  do  that  thing,  are 
different  matters;  and  so  I  found  them  on  this  occa- 
sion. There  seemed,  however,  to  be  but  one  plan  of 
action, —  to  waylay  the  dam;  and,  in  accordance  with 


20  LADY   WASHINGTON. 

it,  I  concealed  myself  one  morning  near  the  trail, 
when  the  animals  were  coming  up  from  the  valley.  I 
had  both  my  rifles  well  charged  lying  at  my  side; 
and,  as  the  oldest  approached,  I  drew  Kentucky, 
and  planted  a  half-ounce  ball  in  her  breast.  She  fell, 
but  almost  instantly  recovered  herself  and  rushed 
towards  me;  when,  seizing  my  second  rifle,  I  fired  a 
second  shot  through  her  open  mouth  into  her  brain. 
It  is  often  the  case  that  the  grizzly  will  live  for  sev- 
eral hours  after  being  pierced  even  through  the  head 
or  heart,  and  perform  prodigies  of  strength;  but  in 
this  instance,  fortunately  for  me,  perhaps,  life  lasted 
but  a  few  minutes. 

As  soon  as  the  dam  expired,  I  seized  a  lasso,  which 
lay  at  my  side,  and  rushed  towards  the  cubs.  I  had 
imagined  it  would  be  a  matter  of  ease,  with  the  dam 
once  out  of  the  way,  to  secure  them;  but  soon 
learned  my  mistake.  As  I  rushed  at  them,  they 
retreated;  as  I  pursued,  they  broke  away,  and,  doub- 
ling, shot  past  with  a  rapidity  of  motion  which  defied 
all  my  skill.  I  chased  a  long  time  without  success; 
and,  finally,  when  they  and  I  were  nearly  worn  out, 
they  suddenly  turned  and  made  so  violent  an  attack 
upon  me  that  I  was  compelled,  for  my  personal 
safety,  to  betake  myself  to  a  tree,  and  was  glad  to 
find  one  to  climb.  Although  but  little  more  than  a 
year  old,  I  saw  that  they  had  teeth  and  claws  which 
were  truly  formidable. 

It  was  a  ludicrous  situation  which  I  occupied  in 
that  tree;  and  it  makes  me  laugh  now  to  think  how 
a  hunter  of  great  bears  was  thus  besieged  by  little 


LADY   WASHINGTON.  21 

ones.  However,  there  I  sat,  and  there  was  no  help 
for  it.  The  cubs  tried  to  climb  after  me,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  pound  their  paws  to  keep  them  down; 
and  I  shall  never  forget  how  they  snapped  their  jaws, 
and  how  wickedly  they  looked,  when  they  were  satis- 
fied I  was  beyond  their  reach.  Had  they  been  full- 
grown  grizzlies  and  thus  driven  me,  like  the  sage 
Nestor  of  antiquity,  to  seek  refuge  in  the  branches, 
it  might  have  been  a  long  time  before  it  would  have 
been  their  good  pleasure  to  withdraw;  but  the  cubs 
did  not  understand  the  art  of  starving  an  enemy; 
and,  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour,  went  off  to  their 
dead  mother.  They  had  shown  enough,  however,  to 
make  me  give  up  the  idea  of  taking  them  by  the  plan 
proposed;  and,  as  I  left  the  place,  I  began  contriving 
other  kinds  of  expedients  for  their  capture. 

The  plan  hit  upon  at  last  was  to  procure  horses 
from  the  Indians;  for  it  seemed  to  me  that,  if  we 
could  chase  the  cubs  into  the  plain,  and  pursue  on 
horseback,  we  could  certainly  take  them  with  our 
lassos.  Accordingly,  the  same  day,  I  mounted  a 
mule,  and,  taking  a  quantity  of  dried  venison  as  a 
present,  rode  down  to  the  village,  which  I  found  to 
be  under  the  sway  of  a  hard-headed  but  good-natured 
old  Indian  potentate,  named  Kennasket.  This  chief, 
for  divers  good  reasons,  doubtless,  placed  little  re- 
liance in  the  white  man;  but  he  seemed  pleased  with 
my  present  and  conversation,  and  finally  consented  to 
loan  me  three  good  horses,  with  which,  however,  he 
sent  a  brave,  whom  we  called  Pompey,  to  see  to  their 
safe  return. 


22  LADY    WASHINGTON. 

Having  thus  procured  horses,  three  of  us,  well 
mounted,  took  the  field  the  next  morning  before  day- 
light, and  repaired  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  dead 
bear,  where  the  cubs  still  remained.  It  was  my 
intention  to  drive  them  down  the  trail  to  the  open 
valley,  so  that  our  lassos  could  be  used  with  effect; 
and  I  therefore  directed  my  comrades  to  conceal 
themselves  and  be  ready  to  rush  forward.  Having 
dismounted,  I  then  made  a  circuit,  and  getting  upon 
the  trail  above  the  position  of  the  animals,  moved 
slowly  down  towards  them.  In  many  places  the 
bushes  were  so  thick  that  I  had  to  creep  under  them 
upon  my  hands  and  knees;  and,  as  my  rifle  was 
never  out  of  my  hands,  it  may  be  conceived  that 
the  path  was  not  without  its  annoyances. 

Upon  drawing  near  the  spot,  a  most  interesting 
sight  presented  itself  to  my  eyes.  The  cubs  lay, 
with  their  paws  upon  the  body  of  their  dead  mother, 
as  if  endeavoring  to  draw  the  accustomed  warmth 
from  it.  Their  appearance  was  so  pleasing,  so  child- 
like, that,  for  a  few  moments,  I  could  only  stop  and 
gaze.  At  first  they  did  not  observe  me;  but,  on  a 
slight  movement,  they  suddenly  sprang  to  their  feet, 
and,  as  they  did  so,  I  dashed  forward,  whirling  my 
cap.  They  bounded  down  the  trail;  I  followed, 
thinking  we  surely  had  them  now;  but,  unfortunately, 
my  comrades,  too  anxious  to  act,  prematurely  left 
their  places;  and  the  cubs,  frightened  by  the  display, 
bounded  aside  from  the  trail,  and,  getting  into  the 
chaparral,  escaped. 

The  next  morning,  we  endeavored  to  try  the  same 


LADY   WASHINGTON.  23 

plan  over;  but,  on  going  to  the  place,  I  found  that 
the  body  of  the  dam  had  been  devoured  during  the 
previous  afternoon  by  vultures  or  buzzards;  and  of 
the  cubs  nothing  was  to  be  seen.  I  was  now  put 
to  my  wits  to  know  what  to  do;  for  some  time  it 
appeared  that  nothing  could  be  accomplished;  but, 
finally,  the  idea  occurred  to  me  that,  as  there  was 
but  one  spring  in  the  valley,  the  animals  would  have 
to  visit  it  for  water,  and  that  there  was  the  place 
to  take  them.  I  therefore  determined  to  watch  the 
spring;  and,  as  soon  as  it  began  to  grow  dark  that 
evening,  selected  a  place  of  concealment,  where,  the 
result  of  the  experiment  being  uncertain,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  party  choosing  to  return  to  camp, 
I  was  left  alone. 

The  spring  was  a  curious  one,  boiling  up  in  the 
midst  of  the  valley  and  making  a  pond,  with  a  con- 
siderable space  of  moisture.  For  some  distance 
around  it  there  was  a  rank  vegetation  of  coarse  and 
heavy  grass,  called  sword-grass,  and  a  few  trees  and 
bushes.  The  mountains  at  the  borders  of  the  valley 
were  high  and  rugged,  with  chaparral  upon  their 
sides,  and  oak,  cedar,  pine,  and  various  kinds  of  moun- 
tain shrubbery  about  their  summits.  It  was  a  lone 
place;  no  signs  of  human  habitation  were  to  be  seen, 
no  sounds  of  human  life  to  be  heard;  and,  particu- 
larly at  night,  the  place  was  desolate  and  dreary 
indeed.  I  tried  to  beguile  the  time  by  a  severe 
exercise  of  thought  upon  other  subjects;  but,  in  a 
short  time,  I  fell  into  a  doze,  then  into  a  sleep,  and 
was   not    awakened    until    midnight,    when    the    cubs 


24  LADY   WASHINGTON. 

unexpectedly  passed  by  me.  The  moon  shone,  and 
they  were  plainly  to  be  seen;  but  they  had  evidently 
been  at  the  spring,  and  were  now  on  their  return  to 
the  mountain.  They  had  outwitted  me!  I  instantly 
sprang  from  my  concealment  and  rushed  after  them; 
but  in  vain, —  before  I  could  overtake  them,  they 
reached  the  chaparral;  and  thus,  for  the  third  time, 
my  endeavors  failed. 

It  was  ray  intention  at  first,  after  this  failure,  to 
return  to  camp;  but  the  thought  struck  me,  that  per- 
haps other  animals  would  visit  the  spring,  and  I  might 
still  not  go  empty-handed.  I  had  before  noticed  the 
tracks  of  panthers,  wolves,  deer,  and  antelopes,  be- 
sides those  of  bears,  in  the  neighborhood;  and,  as 
almost  all  wild  animals  are  abroad  in  the  night-time, 
there  were  fair  chances  of  meeting  some  of  them. 
The  idea  was  not  a  mistaken  one;  for  in  the  course 
of  a  few  hours  a  pack  of  wolves  approached.  It  is 
the  habit  of  these  animals,  when  they  drink  as  well 
as  when  they  eat,  to  do  so  noiselessly;  but,  as  soon  as 
they  have  satisfied  themselves,  they  usually  set  up  a 
concert  of  howls,  which  is  anything  but  pleasant.  It 
is  indeed  a  horrible  noise,  the  most  hateful  a  man 
alone  in  the  wilderness  at  night  can  hear.  To  a  per- 
son anywise  low-spirited  or  melancholy,  it  suggests 
the  most  awful  fancies,  and  is  altogether  doleful  in  the 
extreme.  I  am,  perhaps,  as  little  affected  with  squeam- 
ishness  as  any  man;  but  the  lugubrious  howl  of  a 
pack  of  wolves  is  more  than  I  like;  and  I  was  glad 
to  put  the  cowardly  rascals  to  flight  by  sending  a 
ball  after  them. 


LADY    WASHINGTON.  25 

It  was  nearly  morning  before  anything  else  ap- 
proached. The  moon  had  gone  down;  dawn  began 
to  appear;  and  I  thought  for  certain  that  nothing 
more  would  come,  when  a  light  step  attracted  my 
attention;  and,  by  putting  my  ear  to  the  ground,  I 
recognized  it  as  the  tread  of  a  bear.  To  take  a 
prize  at  last,  after  my  long  watch,  was  a  pleasant 
anticipation;  and  I  was  all  willingness  for  a  conflict 
with  the  beast,  however  large  or  however  ferocious 
he  might  prove  to  be.  It  was  not  necessary  to  wait 
long;  in  a  few  minutes  a  large  black  bear  approached 
the  spring;  drank  heartily,  stepped  into  the  water, 
and,  after  wallowing,  came  out  and  began  rolling  on  the 
grass.  At  this  moment,  before  he  could  start  off  for 
the  mountains  again,  I  resolved  to  fire;  and,  drawing 
my  rifle  to  my  face,  uttered  a  yell  to  attract  his  atten- 
tion. As  anticipated,  he  rose  upon  his  hind  legs,  and 
presented  as  fair  a  mark  as  could  have  been  desired. 
Though  still  in  the  gray  of  the  morning,  the  light  of 
dawn  shone  upon  my  rifle  barrel;  the  sights  aimed 
directly  at  his  breast,  and  I  fired.  It  was  all  the 
work  of  a  moment;  and  the  bear  sprawled  upon  the 
ground,  which  he  tore  in  his  mortal  agony.  I  was  so 
excited  that,  without  waiting  to  reload,  I  rushed  up, 
planted  my  foot  upon  his  neck,  and  plunged  my  knife 
into  his  throat  —  and  for  several  days  afterwards  his 
meat  served  for  provisions. 

Being  now  certain  that  the  grizzly  cubs  visited  the 
spring,  I  ordered  out  all  my  forces  the  next  evening, 
and  concealed  them  about  the  place,  with  strict  in- 
structions not  to  move  but  upon  a  signal.     We  com- 


26  LADY    WASHINGTON. 

menced  at  sundown  and  watched  till  midnight.  Once 
in  a  while  a  band  of  antelopes,  a  couple  of  deer,  or  a 
pack  of  wolves  would  approach;  but  they  were  al- 
lowed to  come  and  go  undisturbed.  The  stars,  which 
rose  in  the  evening,  passed  over  our  heads,  and 
had  sunk  far  down  into  the  west;  and  faint  streaks 
of  light  already  played  upon  the  eastern  horizon, 
when,  all  at  once,  a  yelping  on  the  mountain,  in  the 
direction  of  the  den,  gave  the  welcome  notification 
of  the  approach  of  the  cubs.  We  now  all  stood 
watching  every  shadow  and  catching  every  sound. 
Presently  the  little  bears  ran  past  us,  plunged  their 
noses  in  the  water,  wallowed  a  few  minutes,  and  then, 
crawling  out,  began  tumbling  and  wrestling  on  the 
grass.  At  this  moment,  I  gave  the  whistle;  and  sink- 
ing the  spurs  into  our  horses'  sides,  and  swinging  our 
lassos  about  our  heads,  we  dashed  forwards.  The 
cubs,  frightened  by  our  sudden  and  unexpected  at- 
tack, separated  and  ran  in  different  directions.  I  pur- 
sued one,  and  my  comrades  the  other. 

My  cub,  which  proved  to  be  a  female,  bounded  into 
the  plain,  and  required  a  long  chase.  She  ran  quite 
a  mile  before  it  was  possible  for  me  to  throw  the  lasso, 
which  was  no  sooner  over  her  head  than  she  poked  it 
off,  and  started  on  again.  I  followed  several  miles,  and 
threw  the  lasso  over  her  again  and  again,  as  many  as 
seven  times,  before  it  kept  its  place;  but  it  did  finally 
retain  its  hold,  and  she  was  mine.  I  immediately 
sprang  from  my  horse,  and,  whipping  out  a  muzzle 
and  cords  from  my  pockets,  soon  had  her  bound  head 
and  foot.    She  was  so  beautiful  that  I  had  to  stop 


LADY    WASHINGTON.  27 

and  admire  her  for  some  time,  before  going  to  see  what 
my  comrades  had  done. 

They,  too,  had  succeeded.  Indeed,  they  flattered 
themselves  that  they  had  excelled  the  old  hunter, — 
a  hallucination  in  which  I  indulged  them  awhile  for 
amusement.  When  the  cubs  separated,  they  had 
pursued  theirs,  which  proved  to  be  a  male,  a  long 
distance,  until  he  ran  into  a  chaparral  so  thick  and 
interlaced  that  he  became  completely  entangled. 
They  then  dismounted,  and  seized  him  with  their 
hands  in  such  a  manner  that,  though  all  were  more 
or  less  scratched  and  bitten,  they  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing and  binding  him, —  and  well  was  he  bound ;  never 
in  my  life  before  or  since  have  I  seen  an  animal  so 
completely  tied  up  and  wound  about.  They  had  then 
procured  a  long  pole,  and  slinging  the  bear  upon  it, 
had  borne  him  upon  their  shoulders  to  the  spring. 
All  this  they  told  with  great  glee,  enjoying  their  sup- 
posed triumph  over  me.  I  asked  to  be  shown  the 
place  where  they  had  captured  him;  and  when  they 
pointed  it  out,  I  remarked  that  they  had  an  easier 
place  to  catch  their  bear  than  I  mine;  but  they  had 
got  bitten  and  scratched,  which  I  had  not.  This 
speech  puzzled  them.  "Look  at  your  hands,"  said 
I;  "mine  are  not  scratched  in  that  way;  there  is 
no  blood  here;"  and  then  I  told  them  my  story. 
"And,"  said  I,  "she  is  the  prettiest  little  animal 
in  all  the  country."  Sykesey  and  Tuolumne  thought 
I  was  joking,  and  wanted  a  proof;  but,  looking  them 
straight  in  the  eyes,  I  asked  if  they  had  ever  known 


28  LADY  WASHINGTON. 

the  old  hunter  to  He.     No,  they  replied,  they  had  never 
known  that  he  ever  did. 

Such  was  the  manner  in  which  my  bear,  Lady 
Washington,  one  of  the  companions  of  my  future 
hunting  life,  was  captured.  From  that  time  to  this, 
she  has  always  been  with  me;  and  often  has  she 
shared  my  dangers  and  privations,  borne  my  burdens, 
and  partaken  of  my  meals.  The  reader  may  be  sur- 
prised to  hear  of  a  grizzly  companion  and  friend;  but 
Lady  Washington  has  been  both  to  me.  He  may 
hardly  credit  the  accounts  of  my  nestling  up  between 
her  and  the  fire  to  keep  both  sides  warm  under  the 
winter  colds  of  the  mountains;  but  they  are  all  true; 
let  him  only  read  on. 


THE   WAY   TO   CAMP.  29 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   WAY   TO   CAMP. 

Plans  for  removing  the  Cubs.  A  worrying  Experiment.  Pompey'a 
Proposition.  An  Indian  Cart.  Pompey's  Lack  of  Punctuality. 
Peculiarities  of  the  Indian  Cart.  Indian  Harness.  Pompey's 
amusing  Reasoning.  Start  for  Camp.  Adventure  with  Wolves. 
Lobos  Leggings.  A  precious  Carcass.  Feast  at  the  Nightfire. 
Dried  Venison.  The  Leather  Bottle.  Visit  to  the  Indian  Vil- 
lage. Indian  Barter.  Condition  of  the  Horse  Hiring.  The  Vil- 
lage. Kennasket's  Government.  Kennasket.  Friendly  Recep- 
tion. Friendly  Relations.  Character  of  the  Indians.  The  Cali- 
fornian  Diggers.  "Indian  Depredations."  The  Northern  In- 
dians.    My  Experience.     Providence  and  the  Indians. 

As  the  cubs  were  now  caught,  the  next  matter  was 
to  get  them  to  camp;  and  upon  this  question  various 
opinions  were  held.  Sykesey  proposed  taking  them 
bound  upon  horseback;  Tuolumne  preferred  making 
a  drag  of  grass,  fastening  them  upon  it,  and  pulling 
them  along;  but  there  were  objections  to  both  these 
plans.  We  finally  determined  to  make  an  experiment 
with  the  male  cub,  by  putting  a  strap  of  buckskin 
about  his  neck,  attaching  lariats  on  both  sides,  and 
leading  him.  This  arrangement,  however,  did  not 
work  as  well  as  anticipated;  and  the  animal  worried 
himself  so  much,  by  prancing  and  leaping  to  one  or 
the  other  side,  that,  by  the  time  we  got  to  camp,  he 
was  completely  worn  out.  However,  we  doused  him 
into  water,  and,  as  soon  as  he  was  cooled  and  re- 
freshed, chained  him  up  to  a  tree. 


30  THE   WAY  TO   CAMP. 

On  account  of  the  above  difBculties,  I  proposed 
making  lor  Lady  Washington  a  kind  of  box  of  dry 
hide,  and  packing  her  in  on  horseback;  but  my  In- 
dian friend,  Pompey,  said.  No,  that  he  would  procure 
a  cart,  which  would  answer  much  better.  This  cart, 
he  said,  was  of  a  kind  sometimes  used  by  the  Indians 
for  hauling  their  goods  from  place  to  place,  and  con- 
sisted of  a  tongue,  axle-tree,  two  solid  wooden  wheels, 
and  a  body  of  green  hide.  I  had  never  seen  a 
vehicle  of  the  kind,  but  from  the  description  it 
seemed  to  be  the  very  thing  required,  and  I  sent 
him  off  at  once  to  procure  it;  and  he  promised  to 
meet  me  where  the  bear  lay  three  hours  before  dark. 

Agreeably  to  our  understanding,  I  rode  out  about 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon  to  the  spot,  and  found  the 
cub  lying  where  she  had  been  left,  but  fretting  con- 
siderably with  her  situation.  I  passed  the  time  ad- 
miring her,  and  looking  for  Pompey;  but  it  grew 
nearly  sundown,  and  he  did  not  make  his  appearance. 
I  fired  my  rifle  several  times  as  a  signal;  and  at  last, 
as  the  sun  went  down,  a  faint  shout  replied,  appearing 
to  come  from  a  great  distance;  but  this  was  caused 
by  an  intervening  hill;  and  in  a  few  minutes  Pompey, 
with  a  cart  drawn  by  two  horses,  came  up,  followed 
by  three  Indians  on  foot. 

I  had  to  stand  amazed  at  the  novelty  of  the  vehicle 
they  had  brought.  It  answered  the  description  given 
of  it,  but  was  entirely  different  from  my  idea,  being 
one  of  the  most  rude  and  aboriginal  carriages  possible. 
The  harness  consisted  of  strips  of  dry  elk-hide,  rubbed 
in  the  hands  until  pliable,  and  fastened  together  with 


THE   WAY   TO    CAMP.  31 

strings  of  the  same.  The  traces  were  made  of  like 
strips,  twisted.  There  were  no  collars,  but  only  broad 
bands  of  hide  in  place  of  them.  The  tongue  of  the 
cart  was  short,  and  held  up  between  the  horses  by 
strings  attached  to  the  shoulder-bands;  but  there  was 
no  breeching,  and  this  astonished  me  most  of  all.  I 
asked  the  Indians  how  they  could  keep  the  cart  from 
running  upon  the  horses'  legs  when  going  down  hill. 
Pompey  replied,  that  an  Indian's  cart  was  made  to 
go  only  forwards,  and  it  was  a  bad  horse  that  could 
not  keep  out  of  the  way  of  it.  This  answer  amused 
me,  and  I  should  have  asked  many  more  questions; 
but  the  night  approached,  and  we  therefore,  without 
more  ado,  hastily  lashed  the  cub  on  the  cart,  and 
Pompey,  jumping  upon  one  of  the  horses,  started  off 
at  so  round  a  rate  that  I  found  it  difficult  to  keep  up. 
The  Indians  on  foot  put  themselves  to  a  fast  trot, 
and,  being  good  runners,  lagged  not  behind  in  the 
race. 

On  the  road  to  camp,  upon  getting  within  a  mile 
of  it,  we  suddenly  came  upon  a  pack  of  wolves,  at  a 
spot  where  they  appeared,  by  remarkable  good  for- 
tune, to  have  found  a  choice  bit  of  carrion.  The 
Indians  cried  out  Lobos,  as  both  they  and  the  Span- 
iards call  wolves,  and  asked  me  to  kill  them.  At 
that  time,  wolves  had  no  value  in  my  eyes;  but,  to 
please  the  Indians,  I  dismounted,  and,  crawling  tow- 
ards the  pack,  which  had  gorged  themselves,  and 
were  now  howling  and  fighting  over  what  was  left, 
as  is  the  habit  of  these  gluttonous  creatures,  fired  at 
them.     My  shot  was  random,   there  not  being  light 


32  THE   WAY  TO   CAMP. 

enough  to  see;  but  I  succeeded,  by  firing  into  their 
midst,  in  boring  one  through  the  middle,  and  soon 
heard  him  draw  his  breath  through  blood.  At  this 
the  Indians  were  exceedingly  delighted,  and,  with 
almost  one  voice,  asked  for  the  skin.  I  had  always 
supposed  that  wolf  skins  were  valueless;  but  now 
learned  that  they  are  highly  prized  by  these  northern 
Indians,  who  make  leggings  of  them.  So  much,  in- 
deed, did  they  prize  it,  that  they  would  not  suffer  the 
precious  carcass  to  be  tied  on  the  cart  with  the  bear, 
for  fear  of  its  being  torn,  and  insisted  upon  carrying 
it  themselves.  So  anxious  were  they  for  lobos  leg- 
gings, that  I  at  once  engaged  them  for  a  grand  ante- 
lope hunt,  by  a  promise  of  wolf  skins. 

After  this,  we  proceeded,  without  further  incident, 
to  camp,  where  a  quantity  of  roasted  bear-steaks,  tea 
made  of  a  fragrant  herb  of  the  mountains,  and  a  rous- 
ing, comfortable,  big  fire  awaited  us.  We  were  now 
eight  souls  in  all,  and  sat  down  flat  upon  the  ground 
to  a  feast  such  as  only  hungry  hunters  could  prop- 
erly enjoy.  Our  provisions,  which  were  heaped  before 
us  when  we  sat  down,  rapidly  dwindled  away;  but  we 
continued  to  hack  and  hew  until  after  midnight,  and 
finally  had  it  break  in  upon  our  stores  of  dried  veni- 
son. This  we  placed  upon  the  coals,  so  as  to  make  it 
more  brittle  and  edible;  and  most  earnestly  did  we 
attack  it.  I  remarked  that  my  rifle  had  never  failed 
in  the  hour  of  need,  and  directed  the  company  not  to 
spare;  and  I  can  assure  the  reader  that  the  company 
did  not  spare;  these  Indians,  whatever  may  be  their 
failings   in   other   respects,    are    terrible   fellows   with 


THE   WAY   TO    CAMP.  33 

their  jaws.  The  meal  was  barely  ended,  when  Pom- 
pey,  with  a  ludicrous  twist  of  his  lips,  asked  for  the 
leather  bottle.  I  protested  that  the  leather  bottle 
contained  nothing  but  medicine.  Pompey  replied 
that  it  was  good  medicine  for  red  man  as  well  as 
white;  and  I  found  myself  obliged  to  bring  out  the 
brandy,  though  I  had  but  a  few  pints.  We  accord- 
ingly closed  the  occasion  with  a  hearty  swallow,  which 
enlivened  us  all;  and  then,  having  chained  up  the 
second  cub  as  we  had  done  the  first,  we  crept  into 
our  blankets,  in  an  excellent  good-humor  with  the 
world  and  with  ourselves,  and  went  to  sleep. 

The  next  day,  having  no  further  present  use  for 
the  horses  which  were  hired  of  the  Indians,  I  deter- 
mined to  return  them,  and  at  the  same  time  pay 
a  visit  of  respect  to  the  village,  it  being  not  only 
politic  to  make  friends  of  our  neighbors,  but  a  matter 
of  common  justice  to  acknowledge  our  obligations  to 
them.  Accordingly,  packing  up  a  mule,  I  requested 
Pompey  to  take  the  horses,  and  we  proceeded  to  the 
village. 

The  main  species  of  traffic  among  these  children 
of  the  wilderness  is  barter;  there  is,  it  is  true,  a 
knowledge  of  coin,  which  is  becoming  more  extended 
as  they  are  thrown  into  more  frequent  intercourse 
with  civilization,  but  exchanges  in  kind  still  consti- 
tute the  principal  trade.  My  agreement  had  been  to 
pay  a  sack  of  dried  meat  for  each  horse  each  day  of 
their  use;  and  as  the  indebtedness  daily  accumu- 
lated, this  was  an  additional  reason  for  promptness 
in  settling  the  account. 


34  THE   WAY   TO    CAMP. 

The  village  was  a  collection  of  wigwams  under  the 
government  of  the  old  chief  Kennasket,  a  man  whom 
I  afterwards  found  to  be  of  considerable  dignity  of 
character,  and,  for  a  savage,  of  remarkable  mildness 
and  urbanity  of  manner.  He  ruled  over  his  people 
with  a  sort  of  patriarchal  sway,  exercising  the  power, 
not  of  a  conqueror  and  despot,  but  of  a  protector 
and  father.  The  whole  constitution  of  the  society, 
indeed,  resembled  what  we  are  taught  of  the  pa- 
triarchs, with  the  exception  that,  instead  of  those 
immense  flocks  which  we  read  of,  the  only  domesti- 
cated animals  found  here  were  horses  and  dogs,  and 
the  mode  of  life  was  rude  in  the  extreme. 

The  chief,  when  I  was  brought  into  his  presence, 
expressed  himself  glad  to  see  the  white  man,  and 
thanked  me  for  the  venison.  He  had  always  been 
disposed,  he  said,  to  look  upon  the  pale  faces  with 
distrust,  having  frequently  been  wronged  by  them; 
but,  seeing  that  I  was  punctual  and  honorable,  he 
hoped  we  might  be  friends.  With  these  words,  he 
looked  up  towards  heaven,  as  if  calling  upon  the 
Great  Spirit  to  witness  the  purity  of  his  intentions, 
and  handed  me  his  pipe,  which  I  smoked.  We  then 
settled  the  terms  of  our  accounts;  and,  in  this  trans- 
action, he  was  much  more  liberal  than  was  to  have 
been  expected.  After  passing  my  faith  that  the 
score  should  soon  be  squared  off,  I  shook  hands  with 
all  the  Indians,  mounted  my  mule,  and,  followed  by 
Pompey,  returned  to  camp. 

The  excellent  relations  thus  so  auspiciously  com  • 
menced  with  the  Indians,  afforded  assurances  that  we 


THE   WAY   TO   CAMP.  35 

would  have  no  difficulties  with  them.  They  are  a 
rude  race  of  beings,  but  intrinsically  very  much  like 
ourselves,  having  the  same  passions,  differing  from  us 
more  in  education,  or  want  of  education,  than  in 
nature.  Even  the  Digger  races  of  California,  though 
idle,  shiftless,  and  filthy,  as  a  general  rule,  are  capa- 
ble of  being  active  and  handy,  —  witness  my  boys, 
Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus.  They  have  been,  how- 
ever, greatly  abused  by  those  whites  who  consider 
them  little  better  than  beasts;  and  their  generally 
peaceful  and  submissive  characters,  instead  of  pro- 
curing immunity  from  injury,  have  seemed  only  to 
invite  oppression.  It  makes  my  blood  boil  with 
indignation  to  hear  of  the  cruelties  sometimes  prac- 
tised towards  these  poor  creatures;  for  if  the  truth 
of  the  oft-repeated  battle-cry  of  "Indian  Depreda- 
tions" were  known,  few  indeed  would  be  the  cases 
found  where  the  red  men  were  really  at  fault. 

The  northern  tribes,  being  fiercer  and  more  dis- 
posed to  resent  injuries  than  the  poor  Diggers,  are 
more  respected,  and  treated  more  like  fellow  beings; 
but  even  in  their  case,  it  is  not  humanity  or  respect 
that  protects  them  but  rather  the  fear  of  their  retali- 
ation. Over  the  whole  western  country,  it  seems  to 
be  a  rule  that  the  white  man  can  injure  the  Indian 
with  impunity,  and  no  one  steps  forward  to  make  his 
the  common  cause  of  mankind;  but  let  the  Indian 
retaliate,  and  the  cry  of  "Indian  Depredations"  is 
raised,  and  the  hounds  of  war  and  extermination  are 
loosened  to  slay  and  ravage.  I  have  lived  much 
among   the   red   men;    I   have   seen   much,   and   had 


36  THE   WAY   TO   CAMP. 

many  opportunities  of  knowing  them  intimately;  but 
in  all  cases,  in  the  north  and  in  the  south,  never  have 
I  found  them  othen\'ise  than  as  well  disposed  for 
peace  and  fair  dealing  as  the  white  men.  My  tastes 
of  propriety  and  cleanliness,  as  a  white  man,  have 
frequently  been  shocked  by  their  habits;  but  honor- 
able and  courtly  dealing  on  my  part  has  always  been 
met  with  a  return  in  kind  on  theirs.  In  all  my  ex- 
perience, I  have  never  had  to  quarrel  or  fight  with 
them;  and  I  am  convinced  that,  if  my  disposition 
towards  them  had  actuated  all  white  men  from  the 
first,  they  would  have  been  found  as  well  disposed  to 
all  as  they  invariably  were  to  me. 

It  is  the  decree  of  an  overruling  Providence  that 
the  red  man  shall  die  out,  and  there  is  no  fault  to  be 
found  with  it,  any  more  than  with  the  fiat  which 
ordered  the  extermination  of  the  ancient  creatures 
whose  forms  live  only  in  the  rocks;  but  that  butchery 
and  wrong  by  their  own  more  enlightened  fellow-men 
should  be  the  means  of  destruction,  seems  to  me  not 
necessarily  the  command  of  a  good  God.  It  may  be 
that  everything  that  is,  is  right;  but  we  might  make 
it  different,  and  it  would  still  be  right. 


ANTELOPE   HUNTING.  37 


CHAPTER  V. 

ANTELOPE   HUNTING. 

Antelope  Peculiarities.  Inquisitiveness.  Manner  of  hunting  Ante- 
lopes. Antelope  Lookouts.  Plan  for  a  Surround.  Success. 
Attack.  Panic.  Slaughter.  A  Field  of  Carnage.  My  Greatness. 
Packing  Antelopes.  The  Art  of  Packing.  Proposition  to  the 
Indians.  Stuff  Indians  are  made  of.  Tuolumne's  Sleep.  I 
mimic  the  Bear  for  Tuolumne's  Benefit.  The  Camp  alarmed. 
Tuolumne's  Account  of  the  Adventure.  I  tell  my  Story.  Strength 
of  Tuolumne's  Imagination. 

Our  supply  of  fresh  provisions  being  now  entirely 
gone,  I  led  out  my  whole  party  for  an  antelope  hunt. 
In  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two,  we  reached  a  grassy 
plain,  where  this  animal  abounded;  and,  as  the  sun 
rose  over  the  misty  landscape,  we  descried  a  herd  of 
about  fifty.  The  antelope  is  one  of  the  sharpest- 
sighted  and  keenest-scented  of  all  animals,  and  being 
also  the  fleetest,  the  hunter  would  have  great  diffi- 
culty in  taking  it,  were  it  not  for  another  peculiarity 
in  its  nature,  which  renders  it  a  comparatively  easy 
prize.  I  refer  to  its  curiosity;  it  is  so  inquisitive  as 
almost  invariably  to  approach,  rather  than  run  from,  a 
strange  object,  unless  badly  frightened.  The  attrac- 
tion of  highly  colored  cloths,  particularly,  is  so  great 
that  it  is  often  drawn  into  the  very  jaws  of  destruc- 
tion by  running  up  to  look  at  them.  Frequently  I 
have  decoyed  a  foolish  herd  within  fifteen  or  twenty 
steps  of  my  rifle,  by  merely  holding  up  my  handker- 


38  ANTELOPE   HUNTING. 

chief,  coat,  or  hat,  or  even  my  hand  or  foot.  To  He 
on  one's  back,  with  the  feet  in  the  air  and  the  rifle 
between  the  legs,  is  a  favorite  and  very  successful 
mode  of  hunting  them. 

When  a  herd  of  antelopes  is  feeding,  one  of  the 
bucks,  and  sometimes  more  than  one,  stands  upon  the 
lookout.  He  generally  selects  an  eminence  a  little 
apart  from  his  companions,  and  continually  snuffs  and 
whiffs  the  air,  throwing  his  head  in  every  direction, 
and  noticing  everything  calculated  to  attract  atten- 
tion. It  is  easy  to  recognize  him;  and  if  the  hunter 
can  succeed  in  deceiving  or  escaping  his  watchfulness, 
he  finds  no  trouble  in  approaching  the  herd.  Having 
this  knowledge  of  the  habits  of  the  animal,  I  gave 
my  comrades  instructions  how  to  surround  the  game 
without  alarming  them,  well  knowing  that  if  we  could 
frighten  them  into  a  panic,  there  would  be  no  diffi- 
culty in  taking  as  many  as  we  required.  They  fol- 
lowed my  directions  implicitly,  and  Pompey,  when  he 
reached  his  post,  raised  a  red  handkerchief,  the  flutter- 
ing of  which  soon  attracted  the  notice  of  the  antelope 
lookout.  Upon  observing  it,  the  animal  gave  a  sharp 
snort,  and,  bounding  into  the  air,  wheeled  around  and 
called  the  attention  of  the  herd  to  the  strange  sight. 
Immediately,  the  other  Indians  raised  their  handker- 
chiefs at  other  points;  and  upon  all  closing  in,  the 
animals,  seeing  too  late  that  they  were  surrounded, 
became  bewildered,  and,  huddling  up  together,  wheeled 
and  tramped  around  in  utter  amazement,  apparently 
not  knowing  what  to  do  or  where  to  go. 

In  the  meanwhile,  taking  care  to  keep  our  bodies 


ANTELOPE   HUNTING.  39 

concealed  in  the  long  grass,  we  had  continued  to 
approach;  and,  being  now  within  sixty  yards  of  the 
panic-stricken  animals,  I  rose  upon  my  feet,  took 
deliberate  aim,  and  fired  into  their  midst.  Sykesey 
and  Tuolumne  followed  the  example,  and  the  Indians 
discharged  their  arrows.  I  reloaded  as  quickly  as 
possible,  and  fired  a  second  shot;  then,  dropping  the 
rifle,  pulled  my  revolver  in  my  right  and  my  bowie- 
knife  in  my  left  hand,  and  rushed  into  the  thick  of 
the  herd,  which  continued  wheeling  and  tramping 
around  in  a  circle,  seeing  themselves  surrounded  on 
all  sides,  and  too  much  alarmed  to  fly.  At  the  same 
time  my  comrades  rushed  forward;  and  we  were  soon 
all  mixed  up  together,  myself,  the  Indians,  and  the 
antelopes.  Having  discharged  the  shots  of  my  pistol, 
I  began  plying  my  knife;  and  as  the  Indians  used 
theirs,  we  wounded  several  that  escaped  our  fire- 
arms. In  the  midst  of  the  excitement,  a  buck  broke 
away  from  the  herd  and  was  immediately  followed  by 
all  that  were  able  to  get  away,  some  dragging  lamed 
limbs  after  them.  As,  however,  six  dead  and  five 
wounded  lay  before  us,  there  was  no  use  pursuing 
the  flying  band,  and  they  were  allowed  to  escape, 
although  we  might  easily  have  procured  a  dozen 
more. 

The  field,  as  it  was,  was  a  field  of  carnage.  Within 
the  space  of  half  an  acre  lay  the  bodies,  some  strug- 
gling still  with  life;  and  the  grass  all  around  was 
sprinkled  with  blood.  We  soon  despatched  the 
wounded;  and,  dragging  the  eleven  into  a  heap, 
surveyed   our  work   with   satisfaction.     The   Indians, 


40  ANTELOPE   HUNTING. 

particularly,  looked  on  with  astonishment,  and  said 
one  to  the  other,  that  the  white  man  was  mwhce 
goodee  killee  muck-a-muck,  —  that  is,  a  great  hunter. 
I  said  that  it  was  no  great  thing  for  a  white  man  to 
plan  a  slaughter  in  that  manner;  but  the  Indians  con- 
tinued to  regard  it  as  an  extraordinary  feat;  and, 
from  that  time  on,  they  regarded  me  as  a  very  great 
man,  a  Hyas  Tyee,  a  great  chief. 

It  is  usual,  on  the  hunt,  after  killing  large  game, 
to  open  it  and  turn  out  the  entrails,  as  well  to  lighten 
the  load  to  be  carried  as  to  preserve  the  freshness 
and  sweetness  of  the  meat.  Such  would  have  been 
the  course  here;  but  considering  that  the  hearts, 
livers,  lungs,  and  other  inward  parts  would  make 
good  provisions  for  our  young  bears,  I  ordered  the 
bodies  of  the  antelopes  to  be  packed  as  they  were. 
The  mules  were  brought  up;  three  antelopes  placed 
on  each,  —  two  lengthwise,  and  one  crosswise  on  top; 
and,  being  firmly  lashed  to  the  saddles,  they  made 
good  loads  of  about  three  hundred  pounds.  Packing 
is  an  art  which  requires  some  apprenticeship;  and, 
in  countries  where  goods  are  transported  on  the 
backs  of  animals,  a  skilful  hand  is  a  man  of  repute. 

Our  mules  being  able  to  take  but  six  of  the  bodies, 
and  there  being  five  over,  I  determined,  as  a  matter 
of  experiment,  to  try  what  the  Indians  were  made  of, 
and  proposed  that  each  one,  who  would  carry  an 
antelope  to  camp  without  stopping,  should  have  it 
for  his  pains.  At  the  time  of  making  the  banter,  I 
did  not  expect  its  acceptance;  but  Pompey's  three 
friends  directly  picked  up  a  body  each  and  started 


ANTELOPE   HUNTING.  41 

off.  They  did  not  calculate  the  distance,  which  was 
not  less  than  three  miles,  but  started  off  manfully. 
There  being  two  bodies  left,  I  directed  Tuolumne  to 
remain  with  them  until  my  return  with  the  mules; 
and  the  rest  of  us  then  proceeded  after  the  stalwart 
Indians,  and,  in  the  course  of  a  mile,  overtook  them. 
Their  legs  were  already  weakening  under  their  bur- 
dens; and,  in  the  course  of  a  few  hundred  yards 
further,  one  suddenly  threw  his  load  down  and  de- 
clared that  he  would  carry  no  more  muck-a-viMck ; 
and  the  two  others  followed  his  example.  They  had, 
however,  done  so  well  that  I  freely  gave  them  the 
game,  and,  on  my  return,  loaned  them  a  mule  to 
carry   it  the   remainder  of  the  way. 

Upon  getting  back  to  Tuolumne,  I  found  him  lying 
in  the  grass,  near  his  antelopes,  but  fast  asleep.  The 
sun  had  by  this  time  risen  high,  and  was  darting  fierce 
rays  upon  him;  but  the  boy  was  so  completely  over- 
come that  he  did  not  awake  at  my  approach.  I  even 
packed  the  antelopes,  and  drove  off  a  short  distance; 
and  still  he  slumbered,  perfectly  unconscious  of  all 
that  transpired  around  him.  This  was  culpable  neg- 
lect on  his  part,  and  I  determined  to  teach  him  a  les- 
son. Accordingly,  after  concealing  the  loaded  mule 
entirely  out  of  sight,  I  encased  myself  in  a  bear-skin 
which  ordinarily  served  the  purpose  of  a  blanket 
under  the  mule's  saddle,  and,  hiding  myself  in  the 
long  grass  near  the  sleeping  fellow,  uttered  a  savage 
growl,  as  nearly  like  that  of  a  bear  as  possible.  Tuo- 
lumne, being  startled,  sprang  in  an  instant  to  his  feet, 
and  stooped   to  seize  his  rifle,  which  lay  at  his  side; 


42  ANTELOPE   HUNTING. 

but  I  growled  louder  than  before,  and  made  a  jump 
forwards.  At  this  demonstration,  he  wheeled,  and 
ran  as  fast  as  his  legs  would  carry  him,  ingloriously 
leaving  his  rifle  behind.  The  faster  he  ran,  the  faster 
I  followed  and  the  louder  I  growled.  He  looked 
over  his  shoulder  once,  but  seeing  himself  pursued  by 
a  most  savage  and  bloodthirsty  animal,  as  he  sup- 
posed, strained  himself  to  the  extent  of  his  speed; 
it  was  only  with  difficulty  that  his  heels  could  be  seen, 
for  the  dust  he  raised.  When  he  disappeared,  I 
leisurely  picked  up  his  rifle,  and,  taking  the  mule, 
proceeded  to  camp. 

Upon  arriving  there,  I  found  that  Tuolumne  had 
told  a  terrible  story  about  being  chased  by  a  bear; 
and  the  entire  camp  was  in  a  great  state  of  excitement 
at  his  account  of  the  monster,  which  he  declared  had 
pursued  within  a  short  distance  of  where  they  sat. 
Being  willing  to  play  the  joke  a  little  further,  I  did 
not  contradict  the  report,  but  afl^ected  to  believe  it, 
and  amused  myself  with  listening  to  his  description 
of  the  bear,  which  he  said  was  not  so  very  large,  but 
exceedingly  fierce. 

When  we  turned  into  our  blankets  that  night,  I 
cautioned  him  to  keep  a  good  look-out.  "That  bear," 
said  I,  "has  got  a  smell  of  your  meat,  and  he  will  be 
sure  to  call  on  you  before  morning."  This  frightened 
the  poor  fellow  so  much  that  he  became  violently 
excited.  I  continued  to  aggravate  all  the  circum- 
stances which  he  had  narrated,  until  he  became  pos- 
itively alarmed,  when  I  reproached  him  for  his 
cowardice,  and  told  all  the  particulars  of  my  finding 


ANTELOPE  HUNTING.  43 

him  asleep,  packing  and  concealing  the  mule,  how  I 
had  thrown  the  bear-skin  over  my  head,  how  I  growled, 
how  far  I  had  chased  him,  and,  indeed,  all  the  facts 
just  as  they  occurred.  But  Tuolmnne  could  not,  or 
would  not,  believe  otherwise  than  that  he  had  really 
been  pursued  by  a  bear,  and  answered  all  our  jokes 
at  his  expense  by  the  reply  that  what  he  saw  with 
his  eyes  he  must  believe.  To  such  an  extent  will 
imagination  sometimes  take  possession  of  the  senses, 
and,  on  small  foundation,  conjure  up  terrors  which 
have  no  actual  existence! 


44  TRAP   BUILDING. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TRAP   BUILDING. 

Determination  to  build  Traps.  Tools.  Construction  of  the  Body  of 
a  Trap.  Doors.  Dead-fall  Arrangement.  Modus  Operandi  of 
a  Trap.  Early  Work.  The  Beauties  of  Morning.  Distribution 
of  Labor.  Blasting  Logs.  Adventure  with  a  Black  Bear.  Abun- 
dant Venison.     Philosophy^of  our  Hunting. 

Having  thus,  by  a  few  hunts  and  the  many  indi- 
cations on  every  side,  fully  convinced  myself  of  the 
existence,  in  abundance,  of  fine  game  in  the  country, 
I  determined  immediately  to  build  traps;  for  it  was 
on  them,  and  not  on  the  rifle  or  the  lasso,  that  any 
great  reliance  for  the  capture  of  living  animals  could 
be  placed.  We  had  already  put  off  this  work  too 
long,  and  it  would  not  do  to  delay  any  longer.  We 
therefore  at  once  proceeded  to  select  positions  for 
three  traps,  choosing  such  places  as  the  game  most 
frequented,  and  where  the  materials  for  the  building 
could  be  most  conveniently  procured.  As  for  tools, 
they  were  a  portion  of  the  outfit  which  we  brought 
from  California,  consisting  of  axes,  saws,  hatchets, 
augers,  chisels,  picks,  shovels,  and  drawing-knives. 
With  these  we  commenced  our  labors,  and,  having 
anticipations  of  great  success,  worked  with  alacrity 
and  perseverance. 

There  are  required,  for  the  construction  of  a  good 
trap,  about  seventy  pieces  of  timber,  and  a  large  num- 


TRAP   BUILDING.  45 

ber  of  wooden  pins.  It  is  usually  made  in  size  about 
ten  feet  long,  five  wide,  and  five  high.  When  the 
ground  is  selected  and  levelled  off,  two  parallel 
trenches  are  dug,  into  which  the  sleepers  are  laid; 
and  upon  these  is  pinned  the  floor,  which  consists  of 
logs  placed  side  by  side,  resembling  a  section  of  cor- 
duroy road.  The  sides  are  made  by  placing  a  num- 
ber of  large  timbers,  similar  to  the  sleepers,  one  above 
the  other,  and  pinning  them  firmly  together,  so  that 
solid  walls  of  timber  are  formed;  and  upon  these  are 
pinned  the  top  timbers,  which  resemble  those  of  the 
bottom.  Above  these,  along  the  sides,  are  laid  what 
are  called  string-pieces,  which  are  not  only  pinned 
down,  but  at  the  ends  they  are  connected  with  the 
sleepers  by  perpendicular  ties,  made  of  limbs  with 
crotches  or  hooks  at  their  extremities.  Thus  bound, 
the  body  of  the  trap  is  very  strong,  and  might  be 
turned  over  repeatedly,  like  a  box  open  at  the  ends, 
without  displacing  a  timber.  But,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  it  still  stronger,  a  spot  is  generally  selected 
between  two  trees,  into  which  the  side  timbers,  be- 
sides being  fastened  together,  are  also  pinned,  doub- 
ling the  strength.  Where  there  are  no  trees,  posts 
are  generally  planted  for  the  same  purpose;  or 
where  there  is  one  tree,  a  post  is  used  on  the  other 
side.     Strength  is  the  great  object. 

The  doors  are  made  of  split  boards  a  few  inches 
thick,  pinned  together  crosswise  in  a  square  form  of 
the  required  size.  They  are  intended  to  slide  up 
and  down  in  grooves,  made  by  pinning  slats  at  the 
ends  of  the  trap.     When  they  are  down,  the  trap  is 


46  TRAP   BUILDING. 

perfectly  inclosed,  a  complete  box.  But  the  most 
nice  and  particular  work  is  the  apparatus  for  setting 
and  springing  the  doors.  Two  u})right,  forked  pieces 
of  wood,  a  few  feet  high,  are  mortised  into  the  middle 
of  the  string-pieces,  one  on  each  side;  and  in  their 
forks  rests  a  beam.  Over  this  beam  play  two  levers, 
eight  or  nine  feet  long,  to  the  outer  ends  of  which, 
by  short  chains  or  ropes,  the  doors  are  attached. 
The  butt-ends  of  these  levers  are  sharpened,  to  fit 
the  notches  of  a  small  but  important  piece  of  timber, 
which  holds  them  in  their  places.  The  levers  lying 
across  the  beam,  with  the  weight  of  the  doors  at  their 
outer  ends,  there  is  a  strain  tending  to  draw  their 
butt-ends  apart;  the  notched  stick  supports  this 
strain,  and  holds  them  in  position.  While  the  levers, 
and  by  them  the  doors,  are  held  up  by  the  notched 
stick,  the  stick  itself  is  held  by  the  levers, —  the  whole 
being  a  sort  of  self-sustaining,  double  dead-fall  arrange- 
ment. The  bait  is  attached,  by  a  rope  running  up 
through  a  hole  in  the  top  of  the  trap,  to  this  notched 
stick;  so  that  if  an  animal  enters  the  trap,  and  jerks 
at  the  bait,  it  pulls  the  notched  stick  away,  and  dis- 
places the  levers  from  the  notches;  and  the  doors, 
being  no  longer  supported,  of  course  fall,  and  the 
animal  is  inclosed.  Such  is  the  common  double-door 
trap  of  the  mountains;  but  sometimes  only  one  door 
is  made,  and  the  arrangement  is  somewhat  simpler. 

The  three  traps  occupied  our  time  for  a  couple  of 
weeks;  and  we  labored  steadily,  going  out  early 
every  morning  to  our  work.  It  has  always  been  my 
opinion  that  an  hour  before  sunrise  is  worth  two  after- 


TRAP   BUILDING.  47 

wards;  the  mind  is  then  clear  and  the  body  fresh; 
and  it  was  my  practice,  therefore,  to  rouse  the  camp 
and  get  upon  the  way  even  in  advance  of  Aurora. 
A  person  who  has  not  experienced  the  influence  of 
an  early,  calm,  summer  morning,  wath  the  heavens 
lighting  up  in  a  crimson  glow  above,  and  the  birds 
wakening  into  song  around  him,  may  perhaps  imag- 
ine, but  cannot  feel  the  beauty  and  joyousness  of 
the  scene. 

During  the  first  days  of  the  building,  we  took  the 
mules  with  us,  for  the  purpose  of  hauling  the  logs 
together  in  such  places  as  had  been  selected  for  the 
traps.  These  spots  were  several  miles  apart,  but  all 
in  ravines  where  timber-trees  were  plenty.  In  some 
cases,  little  hauling  was  necessary;  but  in  others,  logs 
had  to  be  brought  from  some  distance;  and  this  labor 
was  generally  attended  to  by  the  boys,  while  Sykesey 
and  I,  being  more  expert  with  the  tools,  hewed  and 
hacked.  Everything  went  well  till  we  came  to  make 
the  doors  of  the  first  trap;  when,  having  occasion  to 
split  a  straight-grained  but  tough  log,  we  experienced 
difficulty,  and  for  some  time  did  not  know  how  to  man- 
age it.  The  axe  was  not  enough,  nor  would  wedges 
work  as  well  as  could  be  wished;  and,  after  several 
ineffectual  trials,  we  found  that  some  other  plan  must 
be  adopted.  I  remembered  a  method  of  splitting 
logs  sometimes  practised  in  the  forests  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  determined  to  try  it.  This  was  to  bore  an 
auger-hole  in  the  log,  and  load  it  with  gunpowder,  in 
the  same  manner  that  blasts  in  rocks  are  charged. 
It  succeeded  admirably,  rending  the  timber  into  two 


48  TRAP   BUILDING. 

equal  pieces;  after  which  it  was  easy  to  split  it  up 
into  boards  with  our  axes  and  wedges.  In  this  man- 
ner we  worked  up  other  logs,  until  there  were  boards 
sufficient. 

During  all  the  period  of  our  labor  our  rifles  were 
always  within  reach,  and  on  the  way  to  and  from  the 
traps  they  were  invariably  upon  our  shoulders.  One 
morning,  as  we  were  thus  on  our  way,  we  observed 
a  black  bear  on  a  hill-side  ahead,  which  appeared  to 
be  either  eating  grass  or  digging  roots.  I  resolved 
to  slay  it,  and,  giving  the  mules  over  to  the  care  of 
the  boys,  directed  Sykesey  to  take  one  direction  and 
I  would  take  another,  to  get  above  the  beast  and 
shoot  it.  It  was  preconcerted  that  he  should  fire 
first;  and,  upon  reaching  the  spot  pointed  out,  he  did 
so;  but  the  ball  struck  the  bowels  instead  of  the 
vitals  of  the  beast,  and  seemed  rather  to  madden 
than  disable.  It  tore  up  the  grass  and  dirt  at  a  fear- 
ful rate,  and  looked  about  for  its  enemy.  Meanwhile, 
I  endeavored  to  procure  a  shot  at  the  heart,  but  was 
not  able  to  do  so,  on  account  of  its  violent  motions; 
and,  therefore,  trusting  to  chances,  rose  with  my  rifle 
at  my  face,  and  uttered  a  yell.  At  this,  the  bear 
turned,  and  I  fired;  but  with  little  better  effect  than 
Sykesey;  the  animal  only  reeled  and  staggered  for 
a  moment,  and  then  ran  towards  a  thicket  about  a 
hundred  yards  distant.  I  immediately  dropped  the 
rifle,  and,  drawing  my  revolver  and  knife,  rushed  after 
it;  and  so  closely,  that,  suddenly  facing  about,  it  made 
at  me  open-jawed,  within  a  few  feet.  Being  prepared 
for  this,  however,  I  discharged  my  pistol  in  its  face; 


TRAP    BUILDING.  49 

the  ball  passed  through  the  nose  into  the  brain,  and 
the  brute  fell  over  backwards,  dead.  We  left  the 
boys  to  quarter  and  pack  the  meat  to  camp,  and  pro- 
ceeded, as  usual,  to  our  work. 

As  the  traps  were  completed,  one  after  the  other, 
we  baited  them  with  pieces  of  fresh  venison.  Deer 
were  plenty,  and  fell  before  our  rifles  in  unconsidered 
numbers,  affording  a  bountiful  supply  of  provisions 
for  our  wants,  and  for  barter  with  the  Indians.  I 
never  killed  game  in  mere  wantonness,  nor  allowed 
those  under  my  control  to  do  so;  but  the  hungry 
stomachs  of  two  men  at  constant  hard  labor,  and  of 
two  growing  Indian  boys,  besides  the  traps,  captive 
bears,  and  drying-poles,  required  an  amount  of  flesh, 
which  might  surprise  the  uninformed.  The  exercise 
of  a  hunter  creates  a  keen  appetite,  and,  if  successful, 
he  is  as  dainty  in  his  palate  as  other  good  livers, 
accepting  none  but  choice  cuts.  For  this  reason, 
unless  he  have  animals  to  feed  with  the  refuse,  he 
sometimes  makes  great  and  inexcusable  waste,  giving 
too  much  cause  for  the  reproach  of  indiscriminate 
slaughter,  which  is  often  laid  at  his  door. 


50  IN   THE  CHAPARRAL. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

IN   THE   CHAPARRAL. 

An  overgrown  Precipice.  Back  foremost  Descent  of  a  Griealy. 
Sykesey's  Fright.  My  Attack.  Sykesey  shoots  and  runs. 
Escape  of  the  Bear.  Sykesey's  Excuse  and  my  Reply.  Conver- 
sation with  Sykesey.  Sykesey  confounded.  Sykesey's  Proposi- 
tion. We  enter  the  Chaparral.  Discovery  of  the  Bear.  Her 
Position.  Effect  of  my  Shot.  Her  Wounds.  Picture  of  an  Elk. 
A  dangerous  Combat.  Death  of  the  Elk.  Porter-house  Steak. 
Smoking  and  baiting  a  Trap. 

Opposite  where  we  built  our  last  trap  was  a  hill 
composed  of  crumbling  rocks,  high  and  precipitous. 
It  was  covered  with  chaparral,  and  by  the  spreading 
and  interlacing  of  creeping  branches  and  vines,  the 
precipice  appeared  entirely  overgrown  with  a  thick 
and  vigorous  vegetation.  One  evening,  as  Ave  were 
about  giving  over  work  for  the  day,  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  a  noise  on  this  hill;  and,  upon  casting 
my  eyes  upward,  I  beheld  a  large  grizzly  bear  coming 
down,  back  foremost,  allowing  her  weight  to  carry 
her,  while  she  retarded  what  would  otherwise  have 
been  too  rapid  a  descent  by  holding  on  to  the  rocks  and 
bushes  with  her  claws.  So  ludicrous  was  this  mode 
of  progression,  —  if  coming  down  tail  foremost  can 
be  called  progression,  —  and  so  droll  her  movements 
in  catching  at  every  twig  and  branch  in  her  course, 
that,  but  for  the  danger  of  my  situation,  I  could  have 
laughed  outright,     As,  however,  laughing  or  any  other 


ADAMS   AND   THE    ELK 


IN   THE   CHAPARRAL.  51 

noise  under  the  circumstances,  might  have  exposed 
us  to  imminent  peril,  I  kept  perfectly  silent,  and  beck- 
oned Sykesey  to  reach  me  my  rifle,  which  was  leaning 
against  a  tree  near  where  he  stood.  As  he  did  so, 
I  whispered  that  we  were  in  a  dangerous  situation, 
and  that  it  would  require  all  our  coolness  and  nerve 
to  escape  destruction.  At  the  same  time,  I  cautioned 
him  to  reserve  his  fire  and  be  ready  in  case  my  shot 
should  prove  ineffectual;  and,  at  all  events,  to  stand 
by  me  in  case  of  extremity.  I  spoke  thus,  because 
the  fellow  seemed  frightened;  but  this  solemn  talk 
frightened  him  still  more;  he,  however,  promised 
to  obey  my  instructions,  and  stand  by  me  like  a 
man. 

By  this  time  the  bear  had  slid  down  within  shoot- 
ing distance;  but,  her  position  not  presenting  so  fair 
a  mark  as  was  desired,  and  there  now  not  being  light 
enough  to  procure  good  aim,  I  was  loth  to  fire;  nev- 
ertheless, feeling  that  it  would  be  the  only  opportu- 
nity, and  trusting  to  good  fortune,  I  blazed  away. 
The  smoke  hardly  lifted,  and  the  echoes  were  hardly 
still,  when  crack!  went  Sykesey 's  rifle  too;  and, 
upon  looking  around,  I  saw  that  he  not  only  had 
fired,  but  had  also  taken  to  his  heels,  and  was  run- 
ning as  fast  as  his  legs  would  carry  him,  leaving  me 
to  take  the  chances  alone.  There  was,  however,  no 
time  to  reprove  this  cowardly  conduct,  for  the  bear 
now  came  down  with  a  tumbling  plunge,  and  I  drew 
my  bowie-knife  in  the  expectation  of  an  immediate 
and  close  conflict.  Indeed,  I  braced  myself  for  a 
deadly  encounter,  when,  very  unexpectedly,  the  bear 


52  IN   THE  CHAPARRAL. 

rushed  past,  perhaps  not  seeing  me,  and  bounded 
away  for  the  dense  thicket  in  the  ravine  below.  Her 
motions,  and  a  few  drops  of  blood  which  stained  her 
course,  showed  that  she  was  badly  wounded.  Catch- 
ing up  my  rifle,  and  reloading  as  quickly  as  possible, 
I  pursued,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  another  shot  and 
finishing  the  business;  but  before  I  was  able  to  over- 
take her  she  gained  the  thicket,  which  was  too  dense, 
and  it  was  now  too  dark,  to  attempt  to  enter. 

While  this  was  taking  place,  Sykesey  stopped  in 
his  flight,  and,  retracing  his  steps,  came  up  with 
a  story  that  his  gun  had  gone  off  prematurely,  and 
that  he  supposed  he  must  save  himself  the  best  way 
he  could.  "It  is  to  be  expected,"  I  replied,  "that 
a  man  will  act  according  to  his  nature.  Bravery 
fronts  danger,  and  repels  it;  but  it  is  the  character 
of  a  coward  to  run,  though  he  drag  after  him,  not 
only  disgrace,  but  danger  too."  Indeed,  I  felt  crusty 
enough  to  have  said  still  more  severe  things,  on 
account  of  his  cowardly  conduct;  but  I  well  knew 
that  many  other  men  would  have  acted  precisely  in 
the  same  manner,  under  similar  circumstances. 

It  was  now  dark,  and  we  were  three  miles  from 
camp.  A  good  part  of  the  distance,  too,  was  through 
chaparral,  frequented  by  bears  and  other  formidable 
animals,  where  an  encounter  might,  at  any  time,  and 
particularly  in  the  evening,  be  expected.  Sykesey 
knew  this,  and  asked  what  I  would  do  provided  a 
bear  should  dispute  our  passage.  My  reply  was, 
that  it  would  be  as  easy  to  fight  a  bear  in  the  night 
as  in  the  daytime;  for,  said  I,  a  man  has  to  die  but 


IN   THE   CHAPARRAL.  53 

once,  and  when  his  time  comes,  it  comes.  He  re- 
joined, that  I  might  fight  in  the  dark,  if  so  disposed, 
but  not  to  expect  his  help.  "It  is  not  Ukely,"  said 
I,  "that  a  man  will  stand  fast  at  night,  who  will  run 
in  the  day;  but  do  not  be  alarmed,  you  have  the 
choice  of  staying  where  you  are."  At  the  mention 
of  the  dreadful  alternative  of  being  left,  the  fellow 
was  more  alarmed  than  ever,  and  very  gladly  fol- 
lowed me,  without  another  word.  Fortunately  for 
him,  as  well  as  for  myself,  perhaps,  we  were  not  ob- 
structed in  our  way,  and  reached  camp  without  fur- 
ther adventure. 

Early  the  next  morning,  as  usual,  we  started  out 
for  the  purpose  of  working  on  the  trap.  As  we 
passed  the  thicket  into  which  the  bear  had  disap- 
peared on  the  last  evening,  Sykesey  remarked  that 
she  must  have  been  badly  wounded,  and  might  be 
taken  without  difficulty.  I  replied  that  if  he  would 
promise  to  exhibit  a  little  more  courage  than  the  pre- 
vious evening,  I  was  willing  to  enter  the  chaparral, 
and  look  for  her.  He  protested  that  he  would  stand 
by  me  to  the  last  drop  of  his  blood;  and,  upon  this 
assurance,  I  bade  him  follow.  We  thereupon  dis- 
mounted, and,  pursuing  the  bloody  track  of  the  bear, 
entered  the  thicket.  The  further  we  penetrated,  the 
thicker  became  the  brush;  and,  presently,  so  inter- 
laced and  intertwined  were  the  upper  branches,  that 
we  were  compelled  to  get  upon  our  hands  and  knees, 
and  crawl.  Thus  we  proceeded,  I  in  front,  and  Syke- 
sey at  ray  heels,  for  at  least  five  hundred  yards,  but 
still  could  see  nothing  of  the  animal. 


54  IN   THE   CHAPARRAL. 

At  last,  we  arrived  in  a  spot  where  the  chaparral 
was  particularly  thick,  and  it  was  difficult  to  proceed 
further,  even  by  crawling.  I  remarked  to  my  com- 
panion that  we  must  keep  our  weapons  ready  for  in- 
stant use,  for,  should  an  attack  be  made  upon  us, 
there  being  no  room  to  turn,  and  little  to  use  our 
arms,  we  would  be  in  great  danger.  Had  I  not  been 
confident,  indeed,  judging  from  the  blood  which  dis- 
colored the  leaves  along  the  trail,  that  the  bear  would 
be  too  weak  to  do  much  injury,  I  would  hardly  have 
ventured  into  that  dark  and  tangled  place;  and 
Sykesey,  upon  looking  ahead,  at  once  proposed  to 
give  up  the  search,  and  return.  In  his  opinion,  it 
was  mere  foolhardiness  thus  to  rush  into  the  jaws  of 
peril.  I  replied,  that  I  had  been  taught  long  ago 
the  lesson,  never  to  commence  a  thing  and  then  back 
out,  without  good  reasons;  and  if  the  bear  was  there, 
I  would  find  her.  With  these  words,  adjusting  my 
revolver  and  bowie-knife,  but  still  holding  my  rifle, 
I  advanced,  peering  about  in  every  direction  for  the 
beast,  which,  as  this  was  the  thickest  portion  of  the 
chaparral,  and  a  likely  place  for  a  den,  I  thought 
could  not  be  far  off.  The  idea  was  not  incorrect; 
I  soon  perceived  a  heap  of  earth,  and,  cautiously 
approaching  and  looking  over,  I  saw  the  bear  lying 
in  the  den,  with  her  head  upon  her  paws,  as  if  sleep- 
ing. I  beckoned  Sykesey  to  look,  and  he  also  saw 
her.  I  thought  from  his  actions  that  he  would  draw 
back,  without  a  blow;  but,  catching  him  by  the  arm 
for  a  moment,  I  drew  my  rifle,  and,  taking  a  sure 
and    deliberate   aim,    placed    a    ball   at   the    butt   of 


IN  THE   CHAPARRAL.  55 

the  bear's  ear.  The  lead  broke  through  her  skull,  but 
there  was  no  movement;  she  was  already  dead.  I 
turned  to  Sykesey,  and  remarked  that  he  need  not  be 
alarmed,  she  had  gone  to  sleep  forever.  "What!"  said 
he,  "is  she  dead  ?"     "Yes,"  I  replied,  "and  cold  too." 

We  jumped  down  into  the  den,  and  turned  the 
body  over  to  find  the  wounds.  My  ball  of  the  pre- 
vious evening  had  passed  through  her  lungs,  and 
probably  caused  death  immediately  after  she  reached 
the  den.  We  then  drew  our  knives,  skinned  and  cut 
her  up,  bore  the  quarters  and  hide  out  through  the 
chaparral,  and,  packing  them  upon  the  mules,  sent 
the  boys  with  them  to  camp. 

Another  adventure  occurred  about  this  same  time, 
which  might  have  cost  me  my  life;  this  was  a  com- 
bat with  an  elk.  The  morning  of  the  day  we  ex- 
pected to  complete  the  trap,  as  fresh  meat  would  be 
needed  for  bait,  I  sent  my  comrades  ahead  with  the 
mules,  but  myself  made  a  circuit  for  the  purpose  of 
killing  a  deer.  In  the  course  of  a  few  miles,  I  dis- 
covered a  band  of  five  or  six  elks.  There  was  one 
of  them,  a  splendid  buck,  with  fine  antlers,  and  mag- 
nificent bearing,  which  particularly  attracted  my 
attention.  Could  he  have  been  transported,  as  he 
stood  there,  into  the  midst  of  the  world,  poets  and 
painters  would  have  paid  tribute  to  his  beauty;  no 
stag  of  Landseer  has  a  nobler  mien,  or  more  of  the 
spirit  of  freedom  in  his  limbs. 

It  was  impossible  to  approach  nearer  than  seventy- 
five  yards  without  alarming  the  band;  and,  conse- 
quently, I  fired  from  that  distance.     The  buck  fell, 


56  IN   THE   CHAPARRAL. 

and  supposing  him  to  be  dead,  I  drew  my  knife,  and, 
as  is  the  usual  practice  upon  shooting  an  animal  of 
this  kind,  rushed  up  to  cut  his  throat.  The  elk,  how- 
ever, was  only  wounded;  and  when  I  reached  him, 
he  suddenly  sprang  upon  his  feet,  and  jumped  with 
his  fore  legs  upon  my  shoulders.  This  knocked  the 
knife  from  my  hands;  but  hastily  drawing  my  revolver, 
I  discharged  the  barrels,  one  after  the  other,  in  quick 
succession,  while  hopping  around  to  avoid  his  terrific 
lunges.  Fortunately,  one  of  my  shots  took  effect  at 
the  butt  of  his  ear,  and  stunned  him;  when,  seizing 
the  opportunity  to  grasp  my  knife,  I  ran  up,  plunged 
it  to  the  heart,  and  the  red  tide  of  life  spouted  from 
his  side.  I  then  ripped  him  up  to  the  bearded  throat, 
and  turned  the  entrails  out  upon  the  ground. 

My  neck  and  back  were  severely  bruised,  but  not 
enough  to  prevent  me  from  shouldering  my  rifle,  pro- 
ceeding to  the  trap,  and  working  there  steadily  until 
sundown.  In  the  evening,  we  passed  by  the  spot, 
packed  the  meat  to  camp,  and  had  a  noble  roast. 
While  enjoying  a  dainty  cut,  I  could  not  help  remark- 
ing that  it  was  as  good  as  any  porter-house  steak; 
upon  which  observation,  Tuolumne,  who  was  of  an 
inquiring  mind,  asked  what  was  the  meaning  of 
"porter-house  steak."  I  explained  to  him,  as  well  as 
I  could,  that  it  was  the  choice  cut  of  a  beef.  This 
casual  conversation  gave  us  a  phrase  of  which  we 
did  not  hear  the  last  for  many  days;  for  Tuolumne 
was  so  impressed  with  the  sound,  that  he  used  tht» 
words,  "porter-house  steak,"  long  afterwards,  to  ex' 
press  the  climax  of  excellence. 


IN   THE   CHAPARRAL.  57 

The  next  day  after  this,  we  completed  the  trap, 
and,  as  soon  as  it  was  finished,  Tuolumne,  at  my  direc- 
tion, gathered  a  lot  of  old  wood,  punk,  and  grass, 
and  gave  it  a  good  smoking.  The  object  of  this  was 
to  darken  the  timbers,  and  to  give  them  an  oldish 
smell.  He  then  took  a  quarter  of  the  elk  meat,  and, 
tying  it  to  the  saddle  with  a  lariat,  dragged  it  a  con- 
siderable distance  around  the  trap,  so  as  to  leave  a 
strong  scent  upon  the  ground.  Then  baiting  the 
trap,  and  nicely  setting  it,  we  packed  our  tools  upon 
a  mule,  and,  leaving  everything  in  order,  returned  to 
camp.  We  now  had  three  good  traps,  and  reposed, 
with  excellent  hopes  of  success  in  a  short  time. 


58  BEAR   EDUCATION. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

BEAR   EDUCATION. 

The  Philosophy  of  Education.  My  Black  Bear  Cubs.  Experiment 
with  the  Cubs.  I  become  a  Pater  Familias.  The  Grizzly  Cubs. 
Lady  Washington.  First  Lesson  to  Lady  Washington.  Its  Ef- 
fect. Second  Lesson  to  Lady  Washington.  Jackson's  Obstinacy. 
A  Lesson  to  him.  His  Submission.  The  Science  of  Physiog- 
nomy.    Educational  Capabilities  of  Bears. 

The  high  state  of  training  to  which  several  of  my 
bears  were  brought,  will  form  an  interesting  part  of 
my  story;  and,  as  they  subsequently  became  my  con- 
stant companions  in  all  my  wanderings  and  upon 
many  of  my  hunts,  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
educated  deserves  careful  and  particular  mention.  It 
is  with  bears  as  it  is  with  children,  —  although  much 
allowance  is  to  be  made  for  the  stock  from  which 
they  spring,  yet,  if  the  right  course  be  taken,  their 
natural  characters  may  be  modified  and  improved  to 
such  a  degree  as  to  be  a  subject  of  wonder.  Taking, 
for  example,  my  own  case:  —  with  all  my  natural  incli- 
nations for  the  wild  and  adventurous  life  of  the  forest, 
I  am  satisfied  that  training  might  have  made  me  a 
peaceful  and  contented  burgher  all  the  days  of  my 
life.  This,  my  belief,  is  strengthened  by  what  is  to 
be  seen  in  the  world  every  day;  and  more  so,  because, 
with  much  less  capable  pupils  than  human  beings,  I 
myself  have  changed  savage  and  ferocious  natures  to 
affection  and  gentleness. 


BEAR   EDUCATION.  59 

My  pets  now  amounted  to  four:  the  black  cubs, 
which  had  been  caught  on  our  way  through  Oregon, 
and  the  grizzlies,  lately  taken.  The  former,  which 
were  quite  young,  and  which  were  by  nature  of  much 
milder  disposition  than  the  grizzly  cubs,  were  already 
tame  enough  to  follow  us  about  camp,  almost  like 
dogs.  They  were  frequently  allowed  to  run  perfectly 
free,  and  would  play  around  us  without  the  slightest 
desire  to  leave.  On  the  contrary,  they  became  so 
much  attached  to  our  persons  that  it  was  difficult  to 
prevent  them  following  wherever  we  went.  If  we 
moved  but  a  short  distance,  they  would  jump  up 
and  pursue;  and  such  was  their  watchfulness,  that 
it  was  almost  impossible  to  escape  their  vigilance. 
Many  a  time,  when,  apparently  worn  out  with  their 
gambols,  they  seemed  to  be  asleep,  did  I  endeavor  to 
steal  away  unobserved;  but  never  did  they  fail  in  a 
short  time  to  discover  my  absence,  and  then  they 
would  run  searching  to  find  where  I  had  gone. 

One  night  I  resolved  to  try  a  new  experiment  with 
the  black  cubs;  this  was  to  have  them  sleep  by  me. 
Upon  spreading  my  blanket  to  retire,  I  drove  a  stake 
near  my  feet,  and  tied  them  to  it.  Making  them  lie 
down  side  by  side,  I  then  spread  a  comer  of  the 
blanket  over  them,  and  felt  as  responsible  and  proud 
as  any  itater  familias  in  the  abodes  of  civilization. 
During  the  night,  my  fondlings  were  a  little  trouble- 
some, and  required  me  to  rise  several  times;  but, 
\vith  a  little  judicious  boxing  of  tlieir  ears,  they  lay 
still  at  last,  and  we  all  passed  a  reasonably  comfort- 
able night. 


60  BEAR   EDUCATION. 

With  the  grizzlies  there  was  much  more  difficulty; 
not  only  on  account  of  their  natural  ferocity,  but 
because  they  were  more  than  a  year  old.  From  the 
day  on  which  they  were  captured,  we  were  compelled 
to  keep  them  chained;  and,  although  they  became 
by  degrees  more  familiar,  they  did  not  show  any  dis- 
position whatever  to  acknowledge  a  master.  Lady 
Washington,  whom  I  had  treated  with  the  greatest 
kindness,  was  particularly  violent,  and  invariably  would 
jump  and  snap  at  me,  whenever  within  her  reach. 
On  one  occasion,  when  she  had  nearly  injured  me 
seriously,  I  came  to  the  determination  to  give  her  a 
castigation  that  would  make  her  recollect  me;  and  I 
called  my  comrades  to  witness,  and,  if  necessary, 
assist  me  in,  this  first  lesson  of  subjection. 

I  stepped  back  into  a  ravine,  cut  a  good  stout 
cudgel,  and,  approaching  with  it  in  my  hand,  began 
vigorously  warming  her  jacket.  This  made  her 
furious;  it  would,  indeed,  be  difficult  to  describe  her 
violence,  the  snarls  she  uttered,  and  the  frothing 
anger  she  exhibited,  —  not  that  she  was  hurt,  but  she 
was  so  dreadfully  aroused.  My  comrades,  in  view  of 
the  danger,  cautioned  me  to  desist;  but,  notwith- 
standing their  fears  and  remonstrances,  I  continued 
trouncing  her  back,  until  finally  she  acknowledged 
herself  well  corrected,  and  lay  down  exhausted.  It 
is,  beyond  question,  a  cruel  spectacle  to  see  a  man 
thus  taking  an  animal  and  whipping  it  into  subjec- 
tion; but  when  a  bear  has  once  grown  up,  untutored, 
as  large  as  the  Lady  was,  this  is  the  only  way  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  an  education,  —  and  the  result 


BEAR   EDUCATION.  61 

proved  the  judiciousness  of  my  course.  In  a  short 
time  afterward  I  patted  her  shaggy  coat;  and  she 
gradually  assumed  a  milder  aspect,  which  satisfied 
me  that  the  lesson  had  been  beneficial,  and  that  she 
would  not  soon  forget  it.  As  she  became  calmer,  I 
gave  her  a  greater  length  of  chain;  and,  upon  feed- 
ing her,  she  ate  kindly  and  heartily,  and  gave  good 
promise  of  what  she  afterward  became,  —  a  most 
faithful  and  affectionate  servant. 

A  week  or  two  after  this,  I  resumed  the  training 
of  Lady  Washington,  being  determined  that  her  edu- 
cation should  not  suffer  for  want  of  tuition.  Every 
day  she  had  been  taught  a  little;  but  this  was  rather 
to  keep  her  in  mind  of  the  first  lesson,  than  to  give 
her  a  new  one.  On  this  latter  occasion,  having  re- 
moved the  chain  and  attached  a  lariat  to  her  collar, 
I  led  her  about  the  camp,  and  found  her  much  more 
tractable  than  was  to  have  been  expected.  A  little 
stubbornness  she  indeed  showed  at  first;  but  a  few 
raps  on  her  back  reminded  her  of  the  duties  she 
owed,  and  entirely  removed  the  necessity  of  any 
more  trouncing  for  the  time  being.  Her  education 
was  as  yet  by  no  means  complete;  but,  even  in  learn- 
ing this  much,  she  had  made  remarkable  proficiency. 

The  male  grizzly  cub,  which  had  been  named  Jack- 
son, was  even  more  difficult  to  be  managed  than  Lady 
Washington.  Upon  an  attempt  being  made  to  lead 
him,  he  would  sit  doggedly  still,  refusing  to  move, 
and  growling  defiantly.  When  his  chain  was  pulled, 
he  would  place  his  paw  upon  it  and  bristle  up,  as 
much  as  to  say,   "At  your  peril!"     Indeed,   all  my 


62  BEAR   EDUCATION. 

endeavors  to  do  anything  with  him,  peaceably,  were 
ineffectual;  and,  as  he  seemed  to  be  becoming  fixed 
in  his  obstinacy,  I  determined  to  treat  him  also  with 
the  necessary  severity.  Accordingly,  mounting  a 
mule,  having  attached  a  lariat,  one  end  to  his  collar 
and  the  other  to  the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  I  dragged 
him  along  by  main  force.  After  being  pulled  thus  a 
short  distance,  he  leaped  at  the  mule's  legs;  but  she 
kicked,  and  laid  him  sprawling  on  the  grass.  Being 
but  little  injured,  however,  he  soon  got  up  again;  but 
was  a  sadder  and  a  wiser  bear  than  ever  before;  for, 
although  he  braced  himself  for  a  few  minutes  against 
my  invitations  to  come  along,  he  soon  found  it  was 
of  no  use  to  resist  the  odds  against  him,  and  sulkily 
followed,  wherever  I  was  pleased  to  lead. 

After  leading  him  about,  thus,  for  some  time,  I 
jumped  down  from  my  mule,  took  the  lariat  in  my 
hand,  and  led  him  in  that  manner;  feeling  certain 
that  his  evil  spirit  was  overcome,  and  that  there  was 
no  danger  in  doing  so.  At  one  time,  in  a  fit  of 
returning  obstinacy,  he  sat  down  and  refused  to 
move;  but  a  few  whacks  over  the  haunches  recalled 
him  to  his  proper  senses,  and  he  again  followed  me. 
In  fine,  upon  tying  him  to  his  tree,  I  felt  safe  in 
approaching,  patting  him  upon  the  head,  and  scratch- 
ing his  neck,  —  actions  which  are  grateful  to  the 
bear  as  well  as  to  most  other  animals;  and  he 
received  these  favors  with  a  pleasant  countenance. 
It  was  easy  to  see  that  he  might  be  considered  as 
reclaimed. 

Certain  philosophers  have  taught  a  science,  called 


BEAR   EDUCATION.  63 

physiognomy,  in  which  they  profess  to  find  an  index 
to  character  in  the  form  of  the  face.  If  character 
were  an  attribute  of  the  face,  there  might  be  some 
plausibiUty  in  the  science;  but  hardly  otherwise.  It 
is  certain,  however,  that  the  face  is  frequently  an 
index  of  the  emotions;  there  seem  to  be  certain 
muscles  called  into  action  by  certain  feelings;  and 
an  experienced  eye  will  seldom  misinterpret  this  lan- 
guage of  the  features.  The  repeated  exercise  of 
these  muscles  may  give  a  cast  to  the  face,  indicative 
of  the  general  character,  and  thus  partially  sustain 
the  claims  of  physiognomy;  and,  so  far,  the  science 
applies  as  well  to  beasts  as  men.  When,  therefore, 
I  say  that  Jackson  had  a  pleasant  countenance,  I 
mean  that  his  face  expressed  a  good  and  submissive 
spirit. 

Such  was  the  commencement  of  my  bear  taming; 
the  subsequent  steps,  and  an  account  of  the  various 
degrees  of  docility  to  which  my  pets  arrived,  are 
woven  almost  inseparably  into  my  narrative.  From 
all  my  experience,  and  from  what  has  reached  me  in 
the  way  of  unquestionable  information,  the  conviction  is 
pressed  upon  my  mind  that  the  grizzly  bear  possesses 
a  nature  which,  if  taken  in  time  and  carefully  im- 
proved, may  be  made  the  perfection  of  animal  good- 
ness. At  birth,  like  the  dog  and  the  cat  tribe,  his 
eyes  are  closed;  but  in  the  course  of  a  week  or  ten 
days,  when  they  open,  he  is  as  good-humored,  and 
even  more  playful,  than  they.  From  this  period,  if 
left  in  a  state  of  wildness,  with  his  ferocious  dam  to 
watch  over  and  instruct  him,  he  becomes  gradually 


64  BEAR   EDUCATION. 

more  and  more  savage,  until  he  roams  the  forest,  an 
untamable  and  dreaded  despot.  But  if,  on  the  con- 
trary, he  be  taken  at  that  early  age,  his  playfulness 
fostered,  accustomed  to  the  sight  and  sedulous  atten- 
tions of  his  master,  and  managed  with  a  firm,  but  at 
the  same  time,  gentle  hand,  he  grows  up  a  devoted 
friend,  exhibiting  such  remarkable  qualities  of  domes- 
tication as  almost  to  lead  one  to  suppose  that  he  was 
intended,  as  well  as  the  dog,  for  the  companionship  of 
man. 


A   DAY   AND   NIGKT's  ADVENTURES.  65 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A    DAY   AND   NIGHT's   ADVENTURES. 

Search  for  Antelopes.  The  Meaning  of  Tack-Ship.  A  Nibble  at  a 
Trap.  Discovery  of  a  Pack  of  Wolves.  Philosophy  of  a  Rifle's  Sights. 
Attack  upon  the  Wolves.  Its  Effect.  Pursuit.  A  severe  Bite. 
Mountain  Water-Cure.  An  inconsiderate  Scouting  Trip.  Ad- 
venture with  a  Coyote.  Lost.  A  Panther's  Scream.  My  Alarm. 
Character  of  the  Panther.  Withdrawal  of  the  Panther.  My 
Situation.  Rule  of  Camp.  The  Glimmer  of  the  Camp  Fire. 
My  Prostration.  More  of  Mountain  Water-Cure.  The  Philos- 
ophy of  Curing  Wounds. 

In  a  few  days  after  the  completion  of  our  traps 
we  devoted  ourselves  to  the  hunt  again;  and,  in  a 
short  time,  abundantly  replenished  our  diminished 
stores.  One  day  the  boys  succeeded  in  finding  a 
large  band  of  antelopes,  of  which  they  killed  four; 
and  the  next  morning  I  took  Tuolumne  and  the 
mules,  and  followed  in  the  direction  the  animals  had 
gone,  with  hopes  of  overtaking  them.  We  rode  four 
or  five  miles  without  seeing  any  traces  of  them,  and 
at  last  I  remarked  that  we  had  better  tack-ship  and 
put  about.  Here  was  another  expression,  which  the 
Indian  boy  did  not  understand,  and  wished  to  have 
explained.  I  replied  that  "tack-ship"  was  a  sea- 
phrase,  which  meant  to  turn  off  at  an  angle  from 
one's  course  and  go  in  another  direction.  We  ac- 
cordingly altered  our  route,  and  hunted  towards  other 
quarters,  but  still  without  success. 


66  A    DAY   AND   NIGHT's   ADVENTURES. 

One  of  the  traps  being  not  far  distant  from  our 
position,  upon  giving  up  the  morning  hunt  we  pro- 
ceeded to  it,  and  discovered  the  tracks  of  a  wolf 
about  it.  The  animal  had  evidently  been  on  the 
inside  of  the  structure  and  taken  a  portion  of  the 
bait,  and  it  was  a  mystery  why  he  had  not  been 
caught;  but  this  was  explained  on  further  inspection; 
for  the  trap  had  been  so  unskilfully  set  that  it  would 
not  spring.  The  fault  being  remedied,  I  remarked 
that  we  would  surely  have  a  wolf  the  next  morning. 
"How  do  you  know  that?"  Tuolumne  asked.  I  an- 
swered that  it  was  to  be  inferred  from  the  nature  of 
the  wolf  that  the  visitor  of  the  previous  night  would 
return. 

It  being  now  nearly  noon,  when  no  game  was  likely 
to  stir  abroad,  we  lay  down  under  the  shade  of  a 
tree  and  remained  until  the  heat  of  the  day  was 
somewhat  over;  then,  mounting  again,  we  started 
off  over  the  hills  in  a  direction  we  had  never  before 
been.  We  travelled  five  or  six  miles  beyond  the 
trap,  and  came  upon  a  gang  of  large  black  wolves. 
My  first  thought,  upon  seeing  them,  was  not  to  fire, 
as  they  might  be  the  wolves  that  visited  the  trap;  but, 
upon  second  thought,  I  concluded  that,  being  so  far 
distant,  they  might  not  be  the  same,  and,  at  any  rate, 
it  was  best  to  secure  their  hides  at  once,  and  run  the 
chances  of  others  at  the  trap.  I  had  their  value  for 
lobos  leggings  before  my  eyes,  and,  accordingly,  deter- 
mined upon  an  attack. 

The  wolves  were  in  a  deep  ravine  and  we  on  a  high 
precipice,    almost    directly    over    them,  —  a   situation 


A    DAY    AND   NIGHT's   ADVENTURES.  67 

unfavorable  for  shooting,  for  the  reason  that  a  rifle's 
sights  are  arranged  to  make  allowance  for  the  fall 
of  the  ball  when  discharged  upon  a  level.  Upon 
shooting  directly  downward  or  directly  upward,  there 
is  no  fall  of  this  kind,  and,  therefore,  the  gun  must 
not  be  aimed  directly  at  the  object.  On  this  ac- 
count, I  directed  Tuolumne  to  single  out  a  wolf  and 
aim  at  his  knees,  while  I  would  do  the  same  with 
another;  and,  upon  firing,  my  wolf  fell.  The  rest 
of  the  gang  immediately  huddled  around  it,  having 
neither  seen  us  nor  heard  the  report  of  my  rifle, 
owing  to  the  hill  upon  which  we  were;  this  being 
often  the  case,  that  a  noise  on  a  height  is  not  heard 
in  a  confined  valley  below.  Tuolumne's  piece  having 
only  snapped,  I  took  it  now,  and,  handing  him  mine 
to  reload,  made  another  shot,  and  this  ball  passed 
through  the  spine  of  a  second  wolf  into  the  shoulder 
of  a  third.  Tuolumne  then  handed  me  my  own  rifle 
reloaded,  but  the  wolves,  by  this  time,  had  become 
alarmed  and  made  off;  all,  with  the  exception  of  two, 
which  lay  dead  upon  the  ground,  and  a  third,  which 
was  hopping  away  with  a  broken  shoulder. 

Having  no  thought  of  any  difficulty,  I  dropped  my 
rifle,  drew  my  knife,  climbed  down  the  precipice,  and 
gave  the  wounded  wolf  chase.  Upon  overtaking,  I 
seized  him  by  the  tail  and  threw  him  upon  the 
ground,  wdth  the  object  of  stabbing  him;  but,  by  an 
unexpected  turn,  he  snapped  at  my  right  fore  arm  and 
completely  penetrated  it  with  his  fangs,  and  so  potent 
was  the  bite  that  the  knife  dropped  from  my  unnerved 
hand.     For  a  few  moments  the  pain  was  excessive; 


68  A    DAY   AND   NIGHT's  ADVENTURES. 

but  when  the  first  paroxysm  was  a  little  over,  I  drew 
my  revolver,  and  finished  the  beast  by  a  shot  in  the 
heart.  Upon  turning  up  my  buckskin  sleeve,  the 
blood  flowed  profusely,  and  the  wound  showed  itself 
to  be  severe.  One  of  much  less  severity,  received 
from  a  coyote  bite  since  my  return  from  the  wilder- 
ness, and  the  help  of  three  surgeons,  kept  my  arm  in 
a  sling  eight  months,  and  came  near  costing  me  my 
hand. 

But,  in  the  mountains,  I  acted  as  my  own  doctor, 
and  practised  the  water-cure  system  with  great  suc- 
cess. I  therefore  merely  directed  Tuolumne,  when 
he  had  loaded  his  rifle  and  came  up,  to  wet  my  hand- 
kerchief in  cold  water  and  wrap  it  tightly  about  the 
wound.  In  civilized  life,  when  an  injury  of  this  kind 
is  received,  it  is  poulticed  and  bandaged;  sometimes 
probed  and  lanced;  and,  frequently,  very  bad  work 
indeed  is  the  result;  but  experience  has  taught  me 
that  cold  water  and  nature  are  apt  to  be  better  than 
salves  and  doctors;  and  I  would  undertake  to  cure 
almost  any  bite,  not  poisonous,  by  simply  dressing  it 
with  cold  water.  A  simple  cut  of  the  finger  by 
nature  heals  rapidly,  but,  if  plastered  up,  remains 
sore  many  days. 

Feeling  comfortable  after  the  water-dressing,  I 
directed  Tuolumne  to  pack  the  bodies  of  the  wolves 
upon  the  mules,  and  proceed  to  camp,  while  I  would 
scout  around  and  examine  the  country  which  we  had 
not  yet  visited.  He  asked  what  I  would  do  with  my 
lame  arm  if  attacked.  I  replied,  that  there  was 
nothing  to  fear.     It  did  not  occur  to  me  that  there 


A   DAY   AND   NIGHT's   ADVENTURES.  69 

could  be  any  danger;  but  my  over-great  confidence 
betrayed  me  and  brought  me  into  confusion,  as  will 
be  seen. 

At  first,  I  walked  a  considerable  distance  without 
meeting  anything  worthy  of  attention;  when,  sud- 
denly, an  animal  bounded  furiously  from  behind  a 
clump  of  brush  and  startled  me.  It  had  by  this 
time  become  dusky;  and,  if  a  dangerous  beast  should 
have  attacked  me,  my  situation  would  have  been 
perilous;  but,  upon  turning  to  face  the  assailant, 
what  was  my  disgust  to  find  nothing  but  a  saucy 
coyote,  not  worth  a  charge  of  powder.  I  disdained 
to  notice  him,  and  passed  on;  but  the  whelp,  imagin- 
ing, probably,  that  my  contempt  was  fear,  followed, 
barking  and  howling,  keeping  just  far  enough  behind 
that  a  kick  would  not  reach  him.  Such  conduct, 
even  in  a  brute,  provoked  me;  and,  drawing  my  re- 
volver, I  cried,  "Die,  base  beast,  unworthy  the  boon 
of  life;  take  the  reward  of  your  audacity."  A  shot 
felled  him;  when,  placing  my  foot  upon  his  neck  and 
plunging  my  knife  through  his  heart,  I  exclaimed, 
"Die,  coward  of  the  wilderness!"  —  and  kicked  the 
body  from  me. 

Resuming  my  road,  but  not  being  familiar  with  the 
landmarks  in  the  darkness  which  now  lowered  over 
the  landscape,  I  steered  for  a  distant  hill.  I  judged 
from  the  stars,  the  chief  guides  of  the  hunter  in 
moonless  nights,  that  it  lay  in  the  direction  of  camp; 
but,  upon  reaching  it,  the  country  still  continued  to 
be  strange;  and  at  last  the  consciousness  flashed  across 
my   mind    that    I   was    lost.     Here   was   a   dilemma: 


70  A    DAY   AND   NIGHT'S   ADVENTURES. 

which  way  to  turn,  I  knew  not,  and  I  could  only 
stand  looking  about  me  and  reflecting  upon  what  was 
best  to  be  done.  I  had  lost  much  blood,  felt  tired 
and  weak,  and  would  have  sat  down,  but  I  was  sud- 
denly aroused  and  again  startled  by  the  scream  of  a 
panther  in  dreadfully  close  proximity,  —  so  close,  that 
it  seemed  to  be  but  a  few  yards  behind  me.  I  cannot 
tell  what  might  have  been  my  fate  if  attacked  by  the 
panther  at  such  a  disadvantage  in  the  night,  but  I 
thought  that  if  it  Avere  possible  to  catch  the  glisten 
of  his  eyes,  I  might  plant  a  bullet  between  them.  To 
make  an  effort  at  least,  and  sell  my  life  dearly,  I 
raised  my  rifle  and  waited  for  him.  Even  to  this 
day,  the  remembrance  of  the  feelings  with  which  I 
stood  there,  beyond  the  reach  of  help,  in  utter  dark- 
ness, with  a  lame  arm,  weak  and  hungry,  and  with  a 
bloodthirsty  beast  upon  my  track,  is  distinct. 

The  panther,  notwithstanding  the  many  stories  re- 
lated of  his  daring,  has  always  appeared  to  me  a  very 
cow^ardly  animal.  He  never  dares  to  meet  an  adver- 
sary face  to  face;  and  when  he  attacks,  it  is  always 
by  springing  from  a  covert,  with  the  advantage  all  on 
his  own  side.  He  seeks  his  prey  by  night;  chooses 
lurking-places  in  trees,  rocks,  bushes,  and  other  spots; 
and  springs  only  when  the  victim  is  unprepared  to 
defend  itself.  Such  being  the  character  of  the  ani- 
mal, I  feared  only  an  ambush,  and  strained  my  eyes 
to  discover  him  crouched  for  a  spring;  and  this  was 
the  only  time  in  my  life  that  I  thought  I  needed  four 
eyes  to  look  out  for  my  own  preservation.  Under 
ordinary  circumstances,  a  brave  man,  with  pistol  and 


A    DAY   AND   NIGHT's   ADVENTURES.  71 

knife,  can  protect  himself  against  any  panther;  but 
with  a  lame  arm,  and  weak  from  hunger  and  fatigue, 
I  might  have  been  badly  injured,  perhaps  killed. 

While  considering  matters  in  this  light,  the  panther 
screamed  a  second  time,  apparently  as  close  as  before, 
but  on  the  other  side.  I  thought  he  was  hunting  out 
a  favorable  place  for  an  attack;  but  again  it  seemed 
to  me  that,  if  such  were  the  case,  he  would  not  give 
notice  of  his  presence  by  screaming.  My  vigilance, 
however,  was  none  the  less  active,  and  my  finger  kept 
its  place  upon  the  trigger  of  my  rifle  until  the  beast 
screamed  the  third  time.  This,  by  good  fortune,  was 
at  a  distance  to  windward;  and  it  was  evident,  from 
this  circumstance,  that  he  had  passed  on  some  other 
trail;   and  I  felt  very  much  relieved. 

Being  thus  free  from  apprehensions  of  the  panther, 
I  had  leisure  to  consider  where  I  was.  The  stars 
continued  to  point  out  the  direction  of  camp,  but 
could  tell  me  nothing  more,  and  none  of  the  trees  or 
rocks  around  were  familiar.  There  happened  to  be 
a  small  pine-tree,  with  low  limbs,  not  far  distant;  and, 
in  my  uncertainty,  I  climbed  it  to  get  a  wider  view, 
and,  if  possible,  to  catch  the  reflection  of  the  brilliant 
camp  fire  which  it  is  the  rule  of  hunters  to  make 
when  a  comrade  is  out  at  night.  While  peering  into 
the  darkness,  I  heard  the  panther  scream  for  the 
fourth  and  last  time,  at  a  great  distance,  showing  that 
he  was  leaving  the  neighborhood,  and,  as  is  often  the 
case  with  this  animal  when  travelling  at  night,  utter- 
ing his  characteristic  scream  or  shriek  at  short  inter- 
vals of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes. 


72  A    DAY   AND   NIGHT's   ADVENTURES. 

Meanwhile  a  faint  glimmer  flickered  in  the  sky, 
and  by  degrees  lightened  up,  assuring  me  that  it  came 
from  camp,  and  that  my  comrades  were  stirring  up 
the  blaze  for  my  benefit.  With  a  cheerful  heart,  I 
now  slipped  down  from  the  tree  and  hastened  in  the 
direction;  but  a  hill  and  ravine,  which  were  rough 
and  difficult  to  pass,  still  sei)arated  me  from  camp. 
However,  I  pressed  forward  on  my  way,  blunder- 
ing and  stumbling  over  the  brush  and  stones  which 
obstructed  my  path  at  every  step.  The  nearer 
I  approached,  the  greater  became  my  weakness; 
at  one  moment,  I  would  stumble  and  roll  over  with 
scarcely  power  to  rise  again;  at  another,  I  felt  an 
almost  uncontrollable  desire  to  sleep,  but  still  man- 
aged to  drag  my  tired  limbs  along  till  within  hailing 
distance,  when  I  hallooed  and  sank  down  exhausted. 
My  comrades  fortunately  heard  the  faint  shout  and 
came  to  my  assistance,  but  it  was  impossible  to  answer 
their  curiosity  and  alarm.  I  could  only  say,  as  they 
half  led  and  half  carried  me  to  the  fire,  "Give  me 
water;  give  me  food!"  A  delicious  drink  revived 
my  sunken  powers  almost  instantaneously;  and  after 
eating  heartily  of  roast  venison,  which  awaited  my 
coming,  I  felt  like  a  new  man.  It  was  thirst  and 
hunger,  rather  than  fatigue,  which  had  enfeebled  me. 

Before  turning  into  my  blankets  that  night,  I  re- 
moved the  bandages  from  my  arm,  and  directed 
Tuolumne  to  pour  a  stream  of  cold  water  upon  my 
wounds.  Used  thus,  the  water  at  first  feels  very 
cold,  but  by  degrees  becomes  apparently  more  mod- 
erate; when  it  feels  warm,  it  is  proper  to  desist  and 


A    DAY   AND   NIGHT's   ADVENTURES.  73 

replace  the  bandages,  which  should  be  moistened 
again.  Such  was  the  course  now  taken,  —  the  arm 
being  bound  tightly  from  the  shoulder  to  the  fingers. 
This  mountain  surgery  was  very  effective,  —  or,  to  say 
the  worst  of  it,  did  no  harm.  The  next  morning,  the 
soreness  was  gone,  and  the  arm  much  better  than 
I  anticipated.  Sykesey  thought  such  a  bite  would 
have  laid  a  person  up  for  a  week;  but  that,  I  re- 
plied, depended  much  upon  the  person  bitten.  A 
wound,  to  be  rapidly  cured,  requires  a  healthy,  heal- 
ing blood,  —  the  result  of  an  active  and  temperate 
life,  —  and  also  careful  attention;  but  it  is  not  to 
be  expected  that  everybody  and  every  wound  can  be 
cured  in  the  same  way. 


74  CAMP   LIFE. 


CHAPTER  X. 

CAMP   LIFE. 

The  Camp — what  it  was.  How  we  slept.  My  Bed.  My  Sleep. 
Early  Rising.  Duties  of  the  early  Morning.  Breakfast.  Culi- 
nary Utensils.  Lunch.  Meats  hung  in  Trees.  Dinner.  After 
Dinner.  Wild  Tobacco.  Social  Evenings.  Tales  around  the 
Camp  Fire.  My  Mountaineer  Philosophy  in  California.  Change 
of  Condition.  Our  Political  Organization.  Our  Foreign  Rela- 
tions. Intercourse  with  the  Indians.  A  visit  of  State  to  Ken- 
nasket.  The  great  Chief's  great  Present.  Ceremonies.  History 
of  the  Treasure. 

In  the  previous  pages  when  I  have  spoken  of 
"camp,"  the  reader  may  have  supposed  that  refer- 
ence was  had  to  some  regular  fortification,  a  cabin, 
or  at  least  a  tent.  It  was  nothing  of  the  kind.  My 
camp  consisted  merely  of  a  convenient  spot  where 
wood,  water,  and  herbage  were  near  at  hand.  There 
Ave  would  unpack  our  mules,  turn  them  out  to  graze, 
and  build  a  large  fire,  which  was  seldom  allowed  to 
go  down.  In  the  day,  this  fire  served  for  culinary 
purposes;  at  night,  for  warmth  and  protection.  I 
slept  invariably  in  my  blankets,  u])on  the  ground; 
never  in  any  house,  or  within  any  inclosure,  unless  the 
weather  was  rainy,  when  a  few  boughs,  disposed  into  a 
kind  of  Ijooth,  would  constitute  all  my  shelter  from  the 
elements.  On  a  few  occasions,  a  blanket  was  spread 
to  keep  off  the  rain  or  dampness;  but,  as  a  general 
rule,  my  bed  was  entirely  exposed. 


KENNASKET'S   PRESENT. 


CAMP   LIFE.  75 

My  comrades  were  accustomed  to  crowd  about  the 
fire,  and  lie  with  their  feet  fairly  toasting  at  the 
coals.  It  was  my  practice,  on  the  contrary,  to  re- 
move a  short  distance,  and  sleep  in  the  dark,  so  that, 
in  case  of  attack  I  might  have  a  better  view  of  in- 
truders, and  myself  not  be  seen.  My  bed  consisted 
of  coarse  and  heavy  blankets,  with  a  bag  full  of  dried 
grass,  by  way  ot  .How;  and,  as  there  was  always 
danger  of  being  w.  .ed  by  wild  beasts  or  thieves,  my 
rifle  was  kept  constantly  wrapped  with  me  in  the 
blankets,  —  thus  protected  from  the  dew,  as  well  as 
being  always  ready  for  use  at  an  instant's  warning. 
My  other  weapons  were  likewise  kept  about  me,  ever 
ready  for  any  occasion  of  peril  which  might  arise. 
Nor  was  my  sleep  any  the  more  troubled  on  account 
of  this  hard  bed  and  this  liability  to  disturbance. 
Rarely  did  I  pass  a  night  that  the  howls  of  wolves 
and  coyotes,  or  the  shrieks  of  panthers,  did  not  lull 
me  to  slumber;  but  never  was  my  sleep  sounder  or 
more  refreshing.  The  active  life  I  led,  early  rising, 
a  generous  flow  of  animal  spirits,  and  a  simple  and 
temperate  diet,  made  my  rest  at  night  sweet  and 
grateful,  beyond  all  the  capabilities  of  feather-beds 
and  spring  mattresses. 

I  was  an  early  riser;  seldom  did  the  morning  star 
see  me  asleep;  often  before  the  sun  rose  from  his 
crimson  couch  was  I  out  upon  the  hunt.  My  usual 
practice,  after  rising,  was  to  rouse  my  companions, 
and  put  one  of  them  to  making  breakfast,  while  an- 
other attended  the  mules.  In  the  meantime,  I  pro- 
ceeded   to    my    pets,    and    spent    the    interval    before 


76  CAMP   LIFE. 

breakfast  in  feeding,  watering,  and  training  them. 
They  were  chained  to  trees  near  the  spring,  and  not 
far  from  where  I  slept,  so  that,  it  might  be  said,  we 
all  camped  together. 

Breakfast  consisted,  generally,  of  fresh  meat 
broiled  upon  the  coals,  or  roasted  on  spits  before 
the  fire;  and  we  drank  only  water,  except  some- 
times, when  not  in  a  hurry  for  a  hunt,  when  coffee 
or  tea  was  made,  if  we  had  them;  if  we  did  not 
have  them,  roasted  acorns  or  other  seeds  served 
as  a  substitute  for  coffee,  and  different  sorts  of  fra- 
grant herbs  for  tea.  A  few  kettles  and  pots  of 
civilized  manufacture  we  used,  when  necessary  for 
our  cooking,  but  for  general  purposes  Indian  uten- 
sils. One  of  these,  which  was  of  great  service,  was 
a  pail  made  of  solid  wood,  in  form  like  a  washbowl, 
with  a  flat  bottom,  and  capable  of  holding  about  two 
gallons.  The  natives  made  it  by  heating  an  end  of 
a  long  stone  redhot,  wrapping  the  other  end  in  bark, 
so  as  to  hold  it  in  the  hands,  and  grinding  and  rub- 
bing with  it  in  the  wood,  until  the  pail  was  burnt  out. 
Bowls,  and  dishes  likewise,  they  make  in  the  same 
way,  and  value  highly  —  it  requiring  much  time,  care, 
trouble,  and  skill  to  fashion  them. 

As  the  day  was  generally  spent  away  from  camp, 
we  carried  lunch  along  with  us  on  our  excursions, 
and  this  consisted  of  strips  of  meat  dried  in  the  sun. 
While  at  work  upon  a  trap  or  other  structure  requir- 
ing time,  we  kept  a  bag  of  this  meat,  suspended  in  a 
tree  near  the  scene  of  labor,  from  which  we  used, 
as  required,  —  occasionally   roasting    it,   to    render   it 


CAMP   LIFE.  77 

more  edible  and  palatable.  Fresh  meat,  at  camp 
and  indeed  wherever  we  had  it,  was  invariably 
swung  in  trees,  being  tied  to  a  lariat,  which  was 
passed  over  a  limb,  and  hoisted  up;  it  was  thus  kept 
out  of  the  reach  of  prowling  beasts  until  needed, 
when  it  was  easily  lowered. 

Dinner  was  our  chief  meal;  but  the  time  at  which 
we  enjoyed  it  was  irregular,  depending  upon  many 
circumstances;  being  sometimes  delayed  until  the 
middle  of  the  night,  though  usually  taking  place 
shortly  after  sundown.  This  meal  rarely  wanted  an 
excellent  roast,  and  good  drink  of  its  kind;  also 
such  cakes  and  bread  as  we  could  make,  and  many 
little  delicacies  which  nature  threw  with  lavish  hand 
before  us.  Plums,  cherries,  berries  of  various  kinds, 
small  game  of  all  varieties  which  the  region  afforded, 
and  a  thousand  little  titbits  which  our  experience 
taught,  or  our  ingenuity  devised,  graced  our  board 
at  this  meal.  Frequently  have  I  dined  at  the  Astor 
House,  in  New  York,  and  at  first-class  hotels  in  va- 
rious parts  of  the  Union,  and  have  eaten  as  splen- 
did dinners  as  the  best  cooks  in  the  country  ever 
spread;  but  for  real  good  relish,  give  me  a  camp- 
dinner  in  the  mountains.  A  mountain  appetite  is 
more  savory  than  the  richest  dish  ever  conceived  by 
a  French  gourmand. 

It  depended  upon  the  time  of  our  reaching  camp 
from  our  daily  labors,  whether  we  played  with  our 
pets  in  the  evening.  If  early,  it  was  my  practice 
to  spend  several  hours  feeding,  and,  when  occasion 
served,  training  them.     On  other  occasions,  but  not 


78  CAMP   LIFE. 

often,  after  finishing  dinner,  I  would  get  out  my  old 
pipe  and  smoke,  A  little  of  the  tobacco  of  com- 
merce generally  constituted  a  part  of  my  stores;  but, 
if  not,  the  wild  tobacco,  which  grows  plenteously  in 
the  mountains  of  California,  Oregon,  and  Washing- 
ton, and,  in  places  also  on  the  plains,  served  as  a  tol- 
erable substitute. 

The  social  part  of  our  camp  life  was  in  the  even- 
ing, before  bedtime.  After  finishing  the  labors  of 
the  day,  we  would  heap  large  logs  of  wood  upon  our 
fire,  such  as  would  last  till  morning,  and  gathering 
about  the  cheerful  blaze,  sit,  sometimes  hour  after 
hour,  discussing  the  events  of  our  campaign,  or  tell- 
ing stories.  Many  a  strange  adventure  was  told  at 
my  fire;  and  sometimes,  when  other  hunters  spent 
the  night  with  me,  as  they  occasionally  did,  have  I 
heard  narratives  calculated  to  draw  forth  the  deepest 
emotions.  The  scene  around  us,  the  howls  of  wild 
beasts  in  the  distance,  the  flickering  light,  the  strange 
figures  w^hich  we  ourselves  made  in  our  uncouth 
dresses,  and  the  graphic  words  and  gestures  which 
the  woodsman  and  hunter  learns  to  call  to  his  aid, 
all  conspired  to  make  those  evenings  as  varied  and 
entertaining  as  the  most  eventful  chapters  of  East- 
ern romance.  I  have  thus  heard  tales  rivalling  the 
Spanish  novels  in  richness,  and  narratives  that  would 
have  put  Gulliver  or  Munchausen  to  the  blush. 

Upon  first  entering  the  mountains  in  California,  I 
carried  all  my  cares  as  well  as  all  my  property  with 
me,  taking  no  thought  of  others,  having  only  myself 
and  my  oxen  to  provide  for.     In  plain  terms,  I  was  a 


CAMP   LIFE.  79 

misanthrope,  and  looked  down  from  the  mountain 
crest  upon  the  green  plains  and  busy  settlements 
below,  with  the  disdainful  spirit  of  an  eagle  from  an 
inaccessible  eyry.  But  with  a  change  in  my  circum- 
stances, my  feelings  also  changed.  As  my  little 
camp  increased,  I  began  to  know  again  that  I  had 
duties  and  obligations  to  fulfil  towards  others;  as 
responsibility  rested  heavier  and  heavier  upon  my 
shoulders,  I  gradually  threw  aside  my  indifference, 
and  instead  of  entirely  following  the  narrow  maxim 
of  "mind  your  own  business,"  I  gradually  learned 
the  lesson  of  enlightened  minds,  that  one's  own 
business  embraces  the  business  of  others  too.  Upon 
leading  my  little  company  up  into  Washington,  far 
removed,  as  it  were,  from  the  laws  and  jurisdiction 
of  government,  quite  a  burden  of  responsibility 
rested  upon  me,  absolutely  requiring  at  my  hands 
participation  and  interest  in  everything  that  went 
forward.  To  all  intents  and  purposes,  indeed,  I  was 
a  kind  of  sovereign,  amenable  in  that  remote  quarter 
to  no  laws  except  those  of  God  and  nature;  but  so 
well  was  I  imbued  wath  the  spirit  of  my  country's 
free  institutions,  that  no  right  was  violated  and  no 
liberty  infringed,  to  my  knowledge. 

Such  being  the  condition  of  the  domestic  affairs 
of  my  camp,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  a  word  of 
my  foreign  relations,  if  this  phrase  can  be  used  with 
reference  to  the  independent  Indian  establishment  in 
my  neighborhood.  It  had  become  evident  to  me, 
shortly  after  reaching  the  country,  that  these  Indians 
would    have    to    be  conciliated;    particularly    if    any 


80  CAMP   LIFE. 

favors  were  to  be  asked;  and  I  therefore  now  paid 
more  attention  to  the  philosophy  of  diplomacy  and 
the  arts  of  political  intercourse  than  ever  in  my  life 
before.  My  advances  to  the  Indians,  when  contract- 
ing for  their  horses,  had  been  well  received,  and, 
fortunately,  the  friendly  and  intimate  relations,  then 
commenced,  lasted  during  my  stay  in  the  region. 
Notwithstanding  the  suspicion  entertained  by  Kennas- 
ket  of  the  faith  of  hunters  in  general,  I  had  certainly 
found  favor  in  his  eyes;  and  I  determined,  for  the 
purpose  of  nurturing  the  good  understanding  so  au- 
spiciously inaugurated,  to  pay  a  visit  of  state  on  the 
first  opportunity,  promptly  settle  off  the  score  due, 
and  thus,  by  fair  dealing,  keep  in  his  good  graces. 

A  day  or  two  after  my  wolf  himt,  accordingly, 
taking  the  mules  well  packed,  Tuolumne  and  I  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Indian  village.  Upon  approaching  it, 
we  halted;  and  Tuolumne  went  forward  with  a  white 
flag  to  announce  my  arrival.  I  had  learned  that  the 
Indians  were  fond  of  ceremony,  and  that  it  was  both 
easy  and  comfortable  to  humor  their  fancies.  To  this 
embassy  Kennasket  returned  answer,  that  Gray 
Beard  was  always  welcome  to  his  lodge;  and  I  at 
once  drove  the  mules  to  his  door  and  delivered  their 
burdens  of  meat  to  his  squaws.  As  the  choice  pieces 
were  unpacked,  the  Chief  seemed  well  satisfied,  and 
volunteered  the  loan  of  his  horses  again;  to  which  I 
replied,  that  the  Old  Hunter  was  glad  to  keep  his 
promises,  and  the  red  man  could  find  no  cause  of 
complaint;  and  we  proceeded  thereupon  to  compli- 
ment each  other  for  a  full  half  hour  upon  our 
respective  virtues. 


CAMP   LIFE.  81 

Having  at  last  finished  my  business,  I  was  about 
to  withdraw,  but  Kennasket  stayed  me.  He  wished, 
he  said,  to  make  the  white  man  a  present,  and  he 
hoped  the  white  man  would  keep  it  carefully  as  long 
as  he  lived,  in  memory  of  the  Great  Chief.  The 
Great  Chief's  present  should  be  sacred,  I  replied; 
and  he  withdrew  to  procure  it.  For  some  time,  now, 
my  mind  was  filled  with  visions  of  splendid  calumets, 
necklaces  of  bears'  claws,  Indian  badges  of  honor, 
wampum  belts,  ornaments  of  bead-work,  and  all  the 
wardrobe  of  barbaric  finery;  but  what  was  my  sur- 
prise to  see  the  old  fellow  return  wdth  only  a  puppy 
in  his  arms,  and  that  as  black  as  any  coal!  I  could 
see  Tuolumne  snickering,  and  it  was  with  difficulty 
that  I  restrained  my  own  risibility;  but,  nevertheless, 
with  an  effort  of  philosophy,  I  managed  to  assume  a 
look  of  great  interest.  The  Great  Chief  meanwhile 
approached,  knelt  down  before  me,  and,  lifting  his 
eyes  and  arms  towards  Heaven,  muttered  some 
almost  inaudible  words,  and  then  presented  the  scrub 
as  a  great  treasure.  I  received  it  with  the  most 
scrupulous  ceremony,  and,  kneeling  down  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  giver  had  done,  deposited  it  in  my 
bosom,  and  took  care,  until  out  of  sight  on  my 
return  to  camp,  to  show  nothing  but  the  liveliest 
pleasure  in  the  possession  of  his  present.  Little  as 
was  to  have  been  expected  then,  I  have  kept  my 
word  with  the  Chief;  and  still  possess  his  remem- 
brancer, which  has  grown  scarcely  any  since  puppy* 
hood. 


82  THE  ART   OF   TRAPPING. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE   ART   OF   TRAPPING. 

Race  between  Antelopes  and  Mules.  A  Wolf  and  two  Whelps  en- 
trapped. Tuolumne's  Caution.  The  Bonds  of  Nature.  Savage 
Affection.  The  Philosophy  of  the  Prophetic  Art.  The  Re- 
quirements of  a  good  Hunter.  A  Black  Wolf  entrapped.  Treat- 
ment of  captured  Animals.  Capture  and  Slaying  of  an  old  Grizzly. 
Hanging  up  his  Meat.  Banquet  of  baked  Bear's  Head.  Skin 
Curing.  Practical  Value  of  Science.  How  Traps  ought  to  ap- 
pear. Notions  about  Trapping.  True  Philosophy  of  the  Art  of 
Trapping. 

The  day  after  our  visit  to  Kennasket,  Tuolumne 
and  I  proceeded  to  the  trap  in  which  we  had  seen  the 
wolf-tracks.  On  the  road,  as  we  were  travelling  lei- 
surely along,  we  came  upon  a  small  band  of  antelopes, 
and,  in  a  spirit  of  frolic,  gave  them  chase.  They 
flew  like  the  wind;  but  being  disposed  to  test  the 
speed  of  our  mules,  we  put  them  to  the  stretch  in 
pursuit.  The  result  was  a  race,  which  would  have 
amused  any  one  to  see;  Ave,  who  rode  it,  had  to 
laugh  at  the  ridiculous  spectacle  each  presented  to 
the  other.  I  soon  came  to  the  conclusion  that  mules 
are  very  good  things  in  their  places;  but  their  stiff- 
kneed  gallop,  in  comparison  with  the  well-oiled  and 
graceful  speed  of  an  antelope,  —  the  swiftest  of  ani- 
mals, —  is  a  mere  snail's  pace.  We  saw  the  game 
disappear  like  a  speck  in  the  distance,  and,  turning 
about,  proceeded  on  our  legitimate  road. 


THE   ART   OF   TRAPPING.  83 

Upon  reaching  the  trap,  we  saw  that  the  doors 
were  sprung,  and  that  we  had  caught  a  large  black 
wolf  with  two  small  whelps.  She  was  very  savage, 
and  rushed  ferociously  towards  where  we  looked  in; 
but  her  rage,  of  course,  was  futile,  worrying  only 
herself.  I  directly  took  a  strong  rope,  and  making 
a  noose,  lowered  it  into  the  trap  through  a  hole  in  the 
top,  while  Tuolumne  kept  her  attention  engaged  by 
poking  sticks  through  the  cracks.  While  she  ex- 
pended her  fury  biting  at  the  sticks,  the  noose  was 
suddenly  whipped  over  her  head,  and  she  was  secured 
sufficiently  well  to  enable  us  to  put  on  a  collar  and 
attach  a  lariat  to  her. 

The  whelps,  also,  were  very  furious;  and  I  noticed, 
as  we  were  about  to  open  the  trap,  that  Tuolumne 
had  armed  himself  with  a  large  club,  to  protect  him- 
self against  them.  This  made  me  laugh,  but  Tuo- 
lumne protested  that  he  only  wished  to  prevent  them 
running  off.  I  replied,  that  there  were  other  bonds 
besides  those  of  iron  and  rope;  that,  while  we  had 
the  mother,  the  whelps  were  as  securely  ours  as  if 
they  were  bound  with  chains.  The  truth  of  this  say- 
ing was  soon  apparent,  for,  upon  leading  the  dam 
captive,  the  whelps,  though  at  first  they  ran  into  the 
brush,  soon  came  out  and  followed.  On  the  way  to 
camp,  as  I  had  several  times  to  dismount  and  arrange 
the  lariats  with  which  the  dam  was  led,  invariably  as 
she  snarled  and  snapped,  the  whelps  dashed  at  my 
leggings.  Their  savage  affection  for  their  mother 
was  indeed  so  interesting  that  I  did  not  pretend  to 
drive   them  away;   and   Tuolumne,  who  had   at  first 


84  THE   ART  OF  TRAPPING. 

been  scared,  by  degrees  became  so  delighted  with 
their  harmless  rage  that  he  teased  them  purposely, 
until  I  made  him  desist. 

On  our  arrival  at  camp,  our  comrades  were  aston- 
ished with  our  success,  and  admired  to  the  last  degree 
the  wolf  and  her  whelps;  but,  more  than  all,  they 
wondered  at  the  verification  of  my  predictions,  and 
gave  me  credit  for  being  a  sort  of  prophet.  This 
strange  idea  of  theirs  occasioned  a  great  many  still 
stranger  ideas  in  me.  INIine,  of  course,  was  no  gift 
of  prophecy;  but  common  sense  enabled  me  to  reason 
out  a  result  in  the  future,  from  facts  which  already 
existed,  much  better  than  they  could;  and  this  gave 
me  a  superiority  over  them  which,  had  such  been  my 
disposition,  might,  perhaps,  have  been  turned  to  my 
advantage.  Indeed,  I  persuaded  myself  that,  had 
my  lot  been  cast  among  a  numerous  people,  much  my 
inferiors  in  intellect,  it  would  have  been  easy  to  set 
up  and  sustain  a  reputation  as  a  prophet.  I  believe 
that  all  the  prophetic  powers  ever  possessed  by  Ma- 
homet, the  first  Inca,  and  others  of  this  class,  so  far 
as  concerned  foresight,  consisted  only  in  their  supe- 
rior sagacity. 

That  evening,  during  our  usual  talk  around  the 
camp  fire,  Sykesey  was  inquisitive  about  the  manner 
of  putting  the  rope  on  the  wolf's  neck;  and,  upon  my 
giving  the  explanation,  declared  that  he  should  never 
have  thought  of  such  a  plan.  "To  be  a  good  hun- 
ter," said  I,  "you  must  be  a  thousand  things  besides 
a  good  shot;" — and  this  is  a  good  saying,  which  can 
be  repeated  and  recommended. 


THE   ART   OF   TRAPPING.  85 

In  a  few  days  after  this,  we  found  a  splendid  black 
wolf  in  one  of  the  other  traps,  and  managed  him  in 
much  the  same  manner  as  the  last.  When  brought 
to  camp,  he  was  chained  to  a  tree  near  the  others, 
thus  making  the  fourth  of  his  species  in  our  collec- 
tion. This  method  of  chaining  up  to  trees  was,  in- 
deed, the  disposition  of  all  the  animals  entrapped, 
except  coyotes,  which  were  shot  and  thrown  away; 
and  old  bears,  which,  being  exceedingly  difficult  to 
tame,  we  generally  destroyed  for  their  skins  and 
meat,  —  as  happened  not  long  afterwards,  when  one 
night  we  captured  an  old  grizzly. 

This  bear  was  so  violent  as  to  gnaw  entirely 
through  some  of  the  floor  timbers  of  the  trap.  It 
was  almost  a  pity  to  kill  the  noble  old  fellow,  but 
there  was  no  help  for  it;  and,  accordingly,  inserting 
the  muzzle  of  my  rifle  through  a  crack,  I  put  a  half- 
ounce  ball  through  his  heart.  Upon  the  reception  of 
the  fatal  missile,  he  uttered  a  tremendous  roar  of  pain 
and  rage,  and  tore  about  with  such  fury  that  I  feared 
he  would  break  out.  I  indeed  drew  my  knife  and 
pistol  to  meet  him,  should  the  structure  give  way; 
but  in  a  few  minutes  he  began  to  weaken,  his  rage 
softened,  his  head  declined,  he  sank  down,  and  grad- 
ually his  life  passed  away.  He  was  one  of  the 
largest  of  his  class  in  this  region,  weighing  nearly 
a  thousand  pounds;  so  large  that,  upon  hoisting  the 
trap  doors,  we  were  unable  to  budge  him,  and  were 
compelled  to  hitch  the  mules  to  drag  him  out.  His 
hams  and  shoulders  were  so  brawny  and  fat,  that  we 
could  with  difficulty  lift  them;  and  when,  according 


86  THE   ART  OF   TRAPPING. 

to  our  usual  custom,  we  came  to  hang  them  up  in 
trees  out  of  the  reach  of  wolves  and  coyotes,  it  was 
necessary  to  divide  them  again,  thus  making  eight 
pieces:  and  a  beautiful  sight  it  was  to  sec  the  meat 
hanging  among  the  green  leaves,  like  choice  cuts  in  a 
market-stall  at  Christmas. 

With  the  head  of  this  bear  we  made  a  repast  as 
splendid  as  it  was  strange.  A  hole  large  enough  to 
receive  the  mass  was  dug  in  the  ground,  and  a  large 
brush  fire  built  over  it.  When  the  fire  had  burnt  to 
coals  and  ashes,  the  head  was  rolled  in  a  cloth,  placed 
in  the  hot  hole,  more  brush  piled  on,  and  a  fire  kept 
up  for  several  hours,  when  the  head  was  entirely 
cooked;  and  delicious  eating  it  made. 

Subsequently  to  these  successes,  we  caught  many 
other  animals  in  the  traps,  from  time  to  time;  making 
it  a  special  business  to  visit  and  attend  to  them  almost 
every  day,  keeping  them  baited  with  fresh  meat,  and 
disposing  of  the  captured  animals  according  to  their 
value.  Thus,  besides  a  large  number  of  living  prizes, 
we  accumulated,  by  degrees,  a  number  of  skins  of 
various  kinds,  which  were  cured  in  much  the  same 
method  in  practice  among  the  Indians.  For  instance: 
when  wolves  were  taken,  the  skins  were  spread  upon 
the  fleshy  sides  with  the  brains,  —  sometimes,  also,  with 
salt  and  alum,  —  and  then  rolled  up  for  a  short  time. 
Afterwards,  they  were  worked  in  the  hands  until 
quite  soft,  and  then  subjected  to  a  thorough  smoking. 
It  gave  us  much  trouble,  at  first,  to  make  a  smoke- 
house; but  subsequently  we  found  a  hollow  tree, 
which  answered  the  purpose  excellently. 


THE   ART   OF   TRAPPING.  87 

The  art  of  trapping  requires  some  knowledge  of 
the  science  of  natural  history,  just  as  any  other  art 
requires  some  intimacy  with  the  science  with  which 
it  stands  in  connection.  As  every  man  who  reasons 
knows  something  of  the  science  of  reasoning,  though 
he  may  be  totally  unacquainted  with  the  name  of 
logic,  so  the  trapper  must  have  a  practical  acquaint- 
ance with  the  nature  and  habits  of  the  game  which  he 
seeks  to  ensnare;  and  the  more  intimate  his  knowl- 
edge, the  more  successful  is  he  likely  to  be.  When 
he  builds  his  traps,  he  ought  to  know  where  his  ani- 
mals prowl,  by  what  path  they  go  forth,  and  by  what 
they  return.  It  is  necessary  to  find  out  the  places 
where  they  pass  when  hungry;  for,  when  sated,  it  is 
not  likely  that  they  will  turn  aside  for  a  bait.  He 
must  also  know  the  kinds  of  food  they  prefer;  as 
some  will  touch  nothing  but  living  food,  while  others 
can  be  beguiled  best  with  carrion. 

The  next  matter  of  great  importance,  and  which 
at  first  gave  me  much  trouble,  after  the  suitable 
location  of  the  traps,  was  the  proper  appearance  of 
them.  Wild  beasts,  as  a  usual  thing,  are  very 
cautious  and,  if  there  be  anything  about  a  trap  to 
excite  their  suspicions,  will  avoid  it.  Should  it  be 
too  new,  or  show  too  plainly  the  marks  of  tools,  or 
retain  too  strongly  the  human  smell,  or  be  too  much 
smeared  with  blood,  a  sagacious  animal  will  quickly 
suspect  something  wrong,  and  keep  at  a  safe  dis- 
tance. Most  of  these  difficulties,  I  afterwards  learned 
to  remedy,  by  building  a  small  fire  in  the  traps  before 
setting  them,  and  thus  not  only  removing  any  scent 


88  THE   ART    OF   TRAPPING. 

that  might  pervade  them,  but  darkening  and  giving 
an  oldish  appearance  to  the  timbers.  Indeed,  upon 
becoming  more  skilled  in  the  art,  it  was  my  invaria- 
ble practice  to  carefully  clear  away  all  marks  of  labor, 
remove  all  the  chips,  and  replace  the  logs  or  stones 
which  had  been  removed,  so  as  to  give  the  spot  as 
natural  and  wild  an  aspect  as  before.  And  even 
after  all  these  precautions,  it  was  not  an  unusual 
thing  to  find  tracks  of  animals  leading  to  the  traps, 
and  then  away  again,  showing  that  beasts,  wiser  than 
ordinary,  had  approached,  inspected  the  snares,  made 
up  very  correct  opinions,  and  left  without  troubling 
them.  Instances  of  this  character  were  always  re- 
garded by  me  as  unfortunate,  as  animals,  in  some 
way  or  other,  have  a  method  of  communicating  their 
thoughts  to  each  other;  and  I  therefore  made  it  a 
rule,  upon  finding  a  trap  thus  suspected,  to  do  some- 
thing or  other,  either  by  re-smoking,  or  throwing 
something  near  it,  to  give  it  the  natural  appearance 
it  ought  to  have.  I  also  avoided  as  much  as  possible, 
the  killing  of  animals  in  the  neighborhood,  and,  in 
genera],  took  all  care  to  remove  from  the  vicinity 
of  the  snares  everything  that  could,  by  any  possibil- 
ity, indicate  to  animals  the  purposes  for  which  they 
were  intended. 

On  some  occasions,  when  a  trap  did  not  seem  to 
attract  animals,  I  caused  haunches  of  meat  to  be 
dragged  over  the  ground  for  some  distance  around, 
for  the  purpose  of  leaving  the  scent,  and  thus  lead- 
ing them  up.  As  to  the  efficacy  of  plans  and  con- 
trivances of  this  kind,  however,  there  may  be  consid- 


THE   ART   OF   TRAPPING.  »« 

erable  doubt,  for  if  an  animal  will  not  of  its  own 
accord  approach  and  enter  a  trap,  it  is  not  likely 
that  he  can  thus  be  enticed  to  do  so.  Some  hunters 
also  suppose  that  drugs  of  a  peculiar  smell  will  aid 
in  attracting  animals;  and  some  have  various  super- 
stitions, and  foolish  notions,  which  are  not  worth  no- 
tice. 

There  is  but  one  good  rule  for  the  trapping  of  ani- 
mals, —  a  plain  and  universal  one,  and,  like  almost  all 
other  good  rules  in  any  department  of  human  knowl- 
edge, the  dictate  of  common  sense.  This  is,  that 
the  animal  to  be  enticed  to  eat,  must  be  met  where 
and  when  he  is  hungry;  and  the  most  palatable  bait, 
—  which  is  also,  generally  speaking,  his  natural  and 
usual  food,  —  must  be  offered,  and  offered  in  such  a 
way  as  not  to  alarm  his  fears  or  excite  his  sus- 
picions. To  accomplish  these  objects  in  a  better  or 
worse  degree,  exhibits  the  more  or  less  consummate 
skill  of  the  trapper.  In  a  country  perfectly  wild, 
there  is  not  so  much  necessity  for  care;  but  where 
there  is  much  hunting,  and  animals  have  become  very 
wild,  the  art  is  one  of  great  nicety,  and  all  the  knowl- 
edge of  science,  so  far  at  least  as  relates  to  the  sub- 
ject, cannot  be  too  well  known. 


90  THE   INDIANS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   INDIANS. 

Morning  Alarm.  Invitation  to  an  Indian  Feast.  Proposition  to  the 
Messengers.  Start  on  the  Hunt.  Adventure  with  a  Bear.  Ad- 
venture with  Deer.  Indian  Idea  of  Game.  A  bad  Precedent  es- 
tablished. Indian  Deer  Hunting.  Indian  Skill.  My  Courtly 
Reception  by  the  Indians.  Ceremonies.  Sykesey's  Reception, 
and  deadly  Fright.  Our  Contributions  to  the  Feast.  Conversa- 
tion with  Kennasket.  Indian  Table  Etiquette.  Mush.  A  gallop- 
ing Visit  to  Camp.  The  Morning  Alarm  returned.  The  Indian 
Wigwams.  Scalps.  Site  of  the  Feast.  Anticipation  of  more 
Mush.  Preparation  for  the  Feast.  Barbaric  Display.  Dancing. 
Music.  The  Banquet.  Harangues.  The  Dance  of  Clubs. 
Indian   Archery.     The  Scene  at   Night.     Our   Return   to  Camp. 

One  morning  very  early,  as  we  were  all  sleeping 
about  the  camp  fire,  I  was  aroused  by  an  Indian 
yell;  and,  supposing  an  attack,  I  jumped  up,  with  my 
rifle  in  my  hand,  ready  to  fire.  An  evil  result  might 
have  come  from  this  manner  of  entering  my  camp; 
but  the  well-known  appearance  of  Old  Pompey  and 
two  of  his  Indian  friends,  who  stood  before  me,  in  a 
moment  dissipated  all  cause  of  alarm.  They  came, 
so  they  informed  me,  from  their  Chief,  Kennasket, 
who  proposed  giving  a  great  feast,  and  desired  me 
to  furnish  as  much  game  as  possible  for  the  occasion, 
as  it  was  some  great  anniversary  in  their  tribe.  The 
feast,  they  said,  was  to  take  place  on  lunar  day,  — 
referring  probably  to  some  change  in  the  moon,  which 
would  be  two  days  ahead;  and,  as  a  distinguished 
honor,    I   was  especially  invited   to   be  present.     In 


THE   INDIANS.  91 

accordance  with  my  general  principles  of  intercourse 
with  the  Indians,  I  readily  consented  to  all  that  was 
asked,  but  required  the  Indians  to  remain  and  assist 
me. 

It  was  desirable,  in  view  of  the  feast,  and  of  the 
large  number  of  participants  which  I  was  given  to 
understand  would  be  present,  to  collect  a  very  large 
quantity  of  game;  and  I  therefore  made  two  parties, 
—  despatching  Sykesey,  Tuolumne,  and  one  of  the  In- 
dians in  one  direction,  while  I  with  Pompey  and  the 
third  Indian,  took  another.  We  each  took  a  mule, 
and  started  out  for  a  general  hunt.  After  separating, 
my  party  proceeded  until  we  came  to  a  dense  thicket; 
when,  seeing  tracks,  I  asked  the  Indians  whether  they 
liked  bear  meat.  They  replied  that  they  liked  it 
much;  but  when  I  pointed  out  a  fresh  track,  they 
seemed  much  frightened,  and  very  little  in  the  spirit 
of  following  it  up.  Their  alarm,  however,  subsided 
when  I  proposed  to  pursue  the  trail  alone,  and  when, 
after  a  long  and  tedious  search  in  the  chaparral,  I 
succeeded  in  finding  and  killing  a  bear,  which  was 
a  black  one,  they  pronounced  the  Old  Hunter  mucho 
bravo,  or  something  to  that  effect. 

Proceeding  ahead,  we  fell  in  with  two  black-tailed 
deer,  a  buck  and  doe,  feeding  in  a  little  valley.  These 
fine  animals  usually  stand  long  enough  before  flying 
to  enable  a  hunter  to  obtain  good  aim,  and,  there- 
fore, they  make  a  pretty  mark.  It  is  also  frequent, 
when  a  buck  and  doe  are  together,  and  the  buck  is 
.slain,  that  the  doe  remains;  and,  on  this  account,  it 
was  always  ray  rule  to  kill  the  buck  first.     This  noble 


92  THE   INDIANS. 

fellow  I  soon  brought  to  his  knees;  but,  before  my 
piece  was  reloaded,  the  doe  took  the  alarm  and 
escaped.  Further  on,  the  Indians  pointed  out  a 
solitary  doe,  which  was  nibbling  the  bushes  a  short 
distance  off,  without  appearing  to  take  much  notice 
of  us.  I  shot  her;  but,  upon  examination,  found  her 
to  be  only  a  poor,  little,  lame  thing,  which  had  evi- 
dently been  attacked  and  injured  in  the  shoulder  by 
some  wild  animal;  and,  being  thus  disabled,  had  been 
eking  out  an  inadequate  existence  in  the  brush.  I 
was  sorry  I  had  killed  her;  but  the  Indians  ex- 
claimed, "White  man  muchee  goodee;  killee  muchee 
muck-a-tnucky  I  replied,  " Muck-a-muck  no  good;" 
but  they  pronounced  the  doe  very  first  rate,  and  we 
packed  the  body  on  top  of  the  bear  and  buck.  These 
constituted  our  success  this  day;  but  Sykesey  and 
his  party  brought  in  several  small  deer,  an  antelope, 
and  a  quantity  of  small  game. 

The  next  morning,  as  we  determined  to  hunt 
towards  the  Indian  village,  we  took  all  the  game 
killed  the  previous  day;  and  as  Stanislaus,  who  usu- 
ally remained,  desired  to  attend  the  feast,  though  it 
was  much  against  my  will,  I  consented  to  leave  the 
camp  entirely  unguarded.  Sykesey,  indeed,  who 
supposed  himself  not  included  in  the  invitation  to  the 
feast,  would  willingly  have  remained;  but  we  over- 
ruled him,  and,  therefore,  the  camp  was  left  totally 
alone.  We,  however,  put  everything  to  rights;  and 
dividing  into  two  parties,  as  on  the  day  before,  we 
started  in  different  directions,  intending  to  meet  at 
the  village  in  the  evening. 


THE    INDIANS.  93 

During  this  day  I  did  nothing  worthy  of  particular 
notice,  but  had  an  exhibition  of  the  skill  of  the 
Indians,  which,  considering  the  admiration  they  ex- 
pressed for  my  hunting,  surprised  me.  We  dis- 
covered a  doe  and  two  fawns,  feeding  on  a  grassy 
spot  in  a  plain;  and  the  Indians  asked  to  be  allowed 
to  try  their  powers  for  once.  I  was  curious  to  see 
their  method  of  stalking,  and  how  they  worked  their 
bows  and  arrow^s;  and,  therefore,  not  only  con- 
sented, but  to  stimulate  them  to  greater  care,  offered 
a  good  price  for  the  fawns,  if  taken  ahve.  The  In- 
dians, thereupon,  crept  to  a  position  about  three 
hundred  yards  from  the  animals;  and  pulling  out 
their  knives  and  cutting  a  quantity  of  grass,  they 
wove  large  caps,  resembling  growing  bunches  of 
green,  and  placed  them  on  their  heads.  Thus  dis- 
guised, they  crept  w'ithin  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
of  the  deer;  and  then,  falling  flat  upon  their  abdo- 
mens, they  crept,  like  snakes  in  the  grass,  within 
twenty  or  thirty  yards  of  them.  Both  then  suddenly 
sprang  upon  their  knees,  with  their  bows  drawn,  — 
fired  as  one  man,  —  and  the  doe  fell,  transfixed  with 
two  shafts.  They  then  jumped  upon  their  feet,  and, 
after  cutting  her  throat,  pursued  the  fawns  which 
ran  towards  the  brush.  The  whole  affair  was  con- 
ducted more  skilfully  than  anything  else  I  have  ever 
seen  done  by  Indians,  and  pleased  me  so  much  that 
I  directly  went  to  measure  the  distances.  While 
wondering  at  their  abilities,  they  returned,  bearing 
the  fawns,  and  I  pronounced  them  great  hunters. 
At  my  commendation,  their  eyes  flashed  with  pleas- 


94  THE   INDIANS. 

ure.  "You  excel  the  White  Hunter,"  said  I;  but 
they  repHed,  "The  White  Hunter  is  a  hunter  of 
bears!" 

After  this,  we  proceeded  till  within  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  the  village  of  Kennasket,  when  an  Indian 
went  forward  to  announce  my  arrival.  In  a  short 
time  afterwards,  one  of  the  chief's  wives  came  out 
with  a  wreath  of  wild  flowers,  which  she  placed  upon 
my  head,  and  then  conducted  me  to  the  lodge,  where 
Kennasket,  his  wives,  and  chief  men  had  assembled 
to  receive  me.  As  I  entered,  the  company  knelt, 
and  the  chief  made  a  speech  calling  me  friend  and 
brother;  after  which,  a  circle  was  made  around  me, 
and,  while  I  in  turn  knelt,  they  all  placed  their  hands 
upon  my  head  and  danced  and  sang,  repeating  the 
words  of  the  chief,  "Good  is  the  White  Hunter,  who 
comes  with  much  game  from  the  east.  No  thief  is 
he,  but  friend  and  brother  of  the  Red  Man.  He  is 
welcome." 

Much  the  same  ceremony  was  performed  over 
Sykesey,  when  he  and  his  party  arrived,  which 
was  not  long  afterwards.  As  he  approached,  a 
squaw  advanced  and  placed  a  wreath  of  vine  leaves 
upon  his  head.  Now  Sykesey,  though  he  had  lived 
much  in  Indian  countries,  knew  little  of  Indian  cus- 
toms, however  much  he  pretended  to  know;  and, 
therefore,  out  of  curiosity,  I  watched  him  as  he  en- 
tered the  lodge.  He  was  already  alarmed  regarding 
the  crown  about  his  head,  not  knowing  what  to  make 
of  it;  and,  as  I  seized  an  opportunity  to  tell  him 
when  to  kneel,  he  supposed  that  he  was  being  led 


THE    INDIANS.  95 

like  a  victim  to  martyrdom.  His  eyes  stared  wide; 
and  he  replied  that  he  would  not  kneel,  that  he  had 
never  done  so  in  his  life.  "But,"  said  I,  "you  can 
surely  kneel  to  say  your  prayers."  At  this,  he  was 
still  more  alarmed;  but,  added  I,  "Pluck  up  your 
courage  and  die  like  a  man."  For  some  reason  or 
other,  I  felt  a  kind  of  wicked  pleasure  in  witnessing 
his  imaginary  terrors.  More  like  a  ghost  than  solid 
flesh,  did  he  stand  there,  and,  had  he  fainted,  it 
would  not  have  surprised  me.  However,  he  got 
through  the  ceremony  safely,  and  managed  to  fall 
upon  his  knees  at  the  proper  time;  yet  when  the 
women  placed  their  hands  upon  his  head  and  danced 
in  a  circle  around  him,  he  appeared  really  more  dead 
than  alive. 

This  curious  ceremony  of  reception  being  over,  I 
had  a  laugh  with  Sykesey  about  his  fright.  We 
then  unpacked  our  mules,  and  spread  forth  the  game, 
which  made  a  goodly  display,  —  there  being  a  bear, 
deer,  antelopes,  a  badger,  rabbits,  squirrels,  and 
birds;  in  all,  about  forty  bodies.  Kennasket,  who 
stood  by,  was  much  pleased  with  the  show,  ordered 
our  mules  to  be  put  out  to  good  pasture,  and  invited 
us  to  amuse  ourselves;  and  "this  night,"  said  he, 
"you  shall  sleep  in  my  lodge."  "The  White  Hunter," 
I  replied,  "never  sleeps  under  cover,  nor  ever  where 
women  sleep."  At  this  answer,  the  old  fellow  laughed 
heartily,  and  replied,  that  the  women  would  not  hurt 
anybody,  but  that  the  white  man  should  please  himself. 
He  then  pointed  to  some  beautiful  mats  which  hung 
in  his  lodge,  and  gave  me  to  understand  that  they 


96  THE    INDIANS. 

were  at  my  service;  but  I  replied,  "No;  the  White 
Hunter  prefers  his  blankets  and  the  ground." 

When  supper  was  announced,  we  sat  down  to  one  of 
the  most  curious  meals  it  was  ever  the  fortune  of  white 
man  to  partake  of.  Two  large  wooden  tureens  were 
placed  upon  the  ground,  containing  a  kind  of  mush, 
which  was  made  by  mixing  grass  seed,  meal,  and 
water  in  the  tureen,  and  then  throwing  in  hot  stones, 
till  it  was  cooked.  At  the  side  of  these,  were  heaps 
of  roasted  meat,  piled  upon  flat  stones;  and  around 
these  aboriginal  dishes  we  sat  flat  upon  the  ground, — 
and  a  curious  sight  we  made.  But  however  strange 
the  spreading  of  the  board,  much  more  strange  was 
the  etiquette  which  governed  at  table.  The  chief 
gave  us  to  understand  that  we  must  not  be  backward; 
and,  as  he  did  so,  he  scooped  up  three  fingers  full  of 
mush,  which  he  transferred  from  the  common  bowl 
to  his  mouth,  with  remarkable  agility.  The  other  In- 
dians followed  his  example,  each  dipping  for  himself; 
for  of  such  things  as  spoons,  these  fellows  seemed  to 
have  no  idea.  Now,  I  am  as  free  from  prejudices  as 
almost  any  man,  but,  I  confess,  this  method  of  eating 
mush  rather  staggered  my  tastes,  and  made  me  con- 
fine myself  to  the  meat  exclusively.  Although  the 
chief  repeatedly  urged  me  to  try  the  mush,  commend- 
ing it  with  a  hearty  smack  of  the  lips  at  every  mouth- 
ful, I  assured  him  that  I  never  ate  mush,  but  that  the 
meat  was  superb.  The  meal  lasted  till  all  the  provi- 
sions were  exhausted ;  when  at  a  nod  all  knelt,  and  the 
chief  muttered  over  a  prayer  to  the  great  Spirit,  en- 
treating him  to  be  propitious  to  the  feast  of  the  mor- 


THE   INDIANS.  97 

row;  after  which  we  all  rose,  and  soon  afterwards 
retired. 

Meanwhile,  as  it  commenced  to  grow  dark,  I  began 
to  think  of  camp  and  the  poor  pets.  I  feared  they 
could  not  fare  well  alone,  and  I  could  not  bear  the 
idea  of  remaining  away,  though  such  had  at  first 
been  my  intention.  Therefore,  I  requested  of  the 
chief  one  of  his  best  horses,  to  ride  back,  promising 
to  return  early  in  the  morning.  He  replied,  that  if 
I  were  determined  to  go,  I  should  take  his  fleetest 
animal;  but  if  I  did  not  return  in  time,  to  beware 
of  his  displeasure.  He  need  not  fear,  I  answered; 
and  mounting  a  splendid  courser,  galloped  off;  and 
in  a  short  time,  after  looking  to  the  pets,  I  turned 
into  my  blankets,  under  my  own  tree,  in  my  own 
camp. 

The  next  morning,  I  rose  before  dawn,  and  mounting 
my  horse,  rode  back  to  the  village,  where  I  arrived 
at  daybreak.  All  was  still  and  quiet;  not  a  watcher 
waked;  and  even  the  makers  of  the  approaching  fes- 
tival continued  to  slumber.  I  thought  to  rouse  the 
sleepers,  and  usher  in  the  day  with  sport;  and,  ac- 
cordingly, spurring  my  horse,  and  rushing  furiously 
through  the  village,  I  cried  with  all  my  might,  "Cha- 
wawi!  chawaivi!"  which  is  an  Indian  note  of  alarm. 
The  whole  people  rallied,  and  rushed  out  of  their 
lodges,  with  their  hair  on  end,  and  their  eyes  dis- 
tended with  surprise.  x\s  soon  as  they  collected,  I 
informed  them  that  they  need  not  be  alarmed;  the 
White  Hunter  had  only  taken  this  method  of  announc- 
ing his  arrival,  and  his  heart  was  merry. 


98  THE   INDIANS. 

Upon  passing  through  the  village,  I  found  that  it 
consisted  of  forty  or  fifty  lodges,  and  about  four  hun- 
dred people.  The  chief's  dwelling,  which  was  situ- 
ated in  the  centre  of  all,  was  a  round  structure,  made 
of  long  poles  stuck  into  the  ground  and  running  up 
in  a  conical  form  to  a  smoke-hole  in  the  top.  The 
poles  were  interlaced  with  boughs  and  small  sticks, 
over  which  was  plastered  a  composition  of  clay  and 
mud,  which,  when  dry,  would  turn  the  rain  well.  A 
deal  of  care  had  been  taken  in  building  this  lodge, 
which  was  by  far  the  best  in  the  village;  the  others, 
however,  were  built  in  the  same  general  manner,  ex- 
cept that  some  were  oval;  and  all  appeared  tight  and 
warm,  and  were  doubtless  comfortable  in  the  winter 
time.  On  examining  the  lodges,  I  found  a  few  scalps, 
but  they  were  all  of  Indians;  and  I  was  assured  that 
no  white  scalps  were  in  the  village,  and  that  none  had 
ever  been  taken.  The  tribe  was  one  of  those  who 
flatten  the  heads  of  their  children,  —  a  custom  com- 
mon to  various  nations,  —  but  I  am  at  a  loss  whether 
to  call  them  Nez  Percees,  Pend  Oreilles,  or  some  other 
name. 

After  rousing  the  rancheria,  I  proceeded  to  where 
my  comrades  had  taken  up  their  quarters,  and  roused 
them  also;  and  soon  afterwards,  the  chief  invited  me 
to  examine  with  him  the  ground  where  he  intended 
to  celebrate  the  day.  We  walked  together  three  or 
four  hundred  yards,  to  a  level  and  grassy  spot,  with 
here  and  there  a  noble  oak  spreading  out  its  ample 
branches  and  promising  the  most  grateful  shade.  All 
the  stones  and  dry  limbs  had  been  removed  from  the 


THE    INDIANS.  99 

ground,  and  four  or  five  circles,  the  size  of  circus 
rings,  the  largest  in  the  middle,  had  been  staked  ofiF, 
evidently  for  dancing.  There  was  also  places  fixed 
in  various  spots  for  roasting  meats;  and  everything 
appeared  ready  to  begin  the  ceremonies.  The  chief 
explained  to  me  the  purposes  of  all  which  we  saw, 
and  I,  following  out  the  line  of  policy  previously 
adopted,  admired  everything.  In  one  respect,  how- 
ever, I  came  near  breaking  through  the  rule;  —  when 
breakfast  was  announced,  remembering  the  mush,  I 
begged  to  be  excused;  but  Kennasket  shook  his  head, 
and  said  the  White  Hunter  must  eat  with  him.  This 
"must"  was  sufficient,  and  I  went  into  the  lodge 
and  took  breakfast;  but,  fortunately,  mush  did  not 
constitute  a  portion  of  the  bill  of  fare  this  time. 

As  soon  as  breakfast  was  finished,  preparations 
were  made  for  the  celebration.  The  meats  were 
carried  to  the  places  assigned  for  them,  the  fires 
were  kindled,  the  cooks  were  stationed;  and  in  a 
short  time  barbecues  gave  forth  their  pleasant  flavors 
on  every  side.  When  the  grateful  smells  ascended, 
as  from  altars  to  the  Great  Spirit,  the  chief  and  his 
household  made  their  appearance,  decked  and  painted 
in  all  the  splendor  of  barbaric  display;  and,  following 
in  the  train,  came  the  whole  people  and  their  guests, 
about  eight  hundred  persons,  all  in  the  costume  of 
Indian  festivity.  It  was,  indeed,  a  great  sight  to  see 
them  in  their  finery,  Avith  their  beads,  feathers,  and 
painted  bark,  their  furs  and  woven  garments,  and 
themselves  painted;  to  watch  their  stately  and  solemn 
steps,  as  they  marched  into  the  circles;  and  to  behold 


100  THE   INDIANS. 

their  wild  and  curious  dances,  so  full  of  meaning  and 
character,  when  seen  in  their  native  places.  The 
music  of  these  dances  was  a  kind  of  chant  kept  up 
by  several  of  the  Indians  who  stood  outside  the 
circles. 

About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  the  chief  an- 
nounced dinner;  after  which,  would  take  place  the 
great  club  dance.  The  meats,  —  which  consisted  of 
bear,  deer,  antelope,  and  many  other  kinds,  in  all 
about  two  hundred  animals  of  various  sorts  and  sizes, 
—  were  now  spread  forth  on  pieces  of  bark  and  flat 
stones,  in  a  large  circle  upon  the  ground.  There 
were  also  about  a  dozen  large  tureens  of  mush,  made 
in  the  same  way,  and  intended  to  be  eaten  in  the 
same  manner  as  that  of  which  I  had  had  previous 
experience.  There  were  also  buckets  or  large  bowls 
of  water  in  abundance;  but  no  liquor.  Around  these 
viands  the  feasters  were  arranged  in  circles;  some 
sitting,  some  standing,  and  all  with  ravenous  appe- 
tites. The  feast  began  at  a  signal  from  the  chief; 
and  such  a  destruction  of  food  as  then  took  place 
was  astonishing  to  all  my  ideas  of  human  capacity. 
But  the  banquet  progressed  well;  great  enjoyment 
prevailed;  the  bucks  became  lively,  and  shouted, 
hallooed,  and  whooped,  as  if  mad,  and  the  Governor 
himself  could  barely  restrain  his  enthusiasm;  but, 
suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  the  merriment,  he  jumped 
up,  and,  commanding  silence,  harangued  the  people 
upon  the  great  deeds  of  his  younger  days,  the  glory 
of  his  tribe,  and  the  greatness  of  his  nation.  Others 
followed,  discanting  upon  the  same  fruitful  topics. 


THE    INDIANS.  101 

After  dining,  the  warriors  returned  to  the  circles, 
and  the  club-dance  began.  This  remarkable  cere- 
mony consisted  of  a  dance  of  braves,  with  war-clubs 
in  their  hands.  It  took  the  form  of  a  battle;  each 
warrior  flourishing  his  club  against  his  neighbor.  It 
seemed  as  if  forty  skulls  would  certainly  be  broken 
every  instant;  but  such  was  the  dexterity  shown  in 
the  dance  that  not  a  blow  was  given.  It  was,  indeed, 
a  great  spectacle.  After  the  club-dance,  other  dances 
began,  in  some  of  which  the  squaws  participated; 
and  great  was  the  pleasure  with  which  they  entered 
into  the  spirit  of  the  scene.  At  the  same  time,  exer- 
cises in  archery  took  place  in  another  portion  of  the 
green,  and  great  skill  was  shown.  These  Indians  are 
wonderfully  correct  with  their  arrows;  I  repeatedly 
saw  small  balls  of  wood  pierced  at  thirty  yards  dis- 
tance; and,  on  several  occasions,  an  Indian  would 
hold  a  nail  in  his  hand  and  allow  others  to  shoot 
at  it. 

Towards  evening,  the  archery  ceased,  and  all 
crowded  into  the  dance.  Large  fires  were  lighted 
about  the  field;  and,  as  the  night  grew  darker,  the 
scene  became  romantic.  The  forms  of  the  plumed 
and  painted  Indians,  as  they  passed  to  and  fro  in 
the  ruddy  glare  of  the  night  fires;  the  dark  shadows 
and  the  flickering  lights  on  every  side,  presented  a 
spectacle  which  will  remain  indelibly  impressed  upon 
my  memory.  About  midnight,  the  dancers  resorted 
again  to  the  viands,  and  cleared  the  abundant  supply 
to  the  last  fibre;  then,  again,  they  took  up  the  dance, 
and  continued,  doubtless,  until  morning  warned  the 


i02  THE    INDIANS. 

revellers  that  the  day  and  night  of  celebration  were 
past.  As  for  myself  and  companions,  we  withdrew 
shortly  after  midnight;  and,  returning  to  our  camp, 
tired  and  weary,  turned  into  our  blankets  and  slept 
out  the  short  remainder  of  the  night. 


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TIIK    KKIGHTENED  OUIZZLY 


LADY  Washington's  education.  103 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

PROGRESS   OF    LADY    WASHINGTON'S   EDUCATION. 

The  Effect  of  the  Feast.  A  Sleepy  Hunt.  Tuolumne's  Yankee  Trick. 
Pa.ssage  of  Words  with  Sykcsey.  A  Lesson  in  Pack-carrying  to 
Lady  Washington.  The  Lady  my  Companion.  Discovery  of 
Deer.  A  Grizzly  Bear.  Situation  of  Myself  and  the  Lady.  The 
Devil  in  the  Wilderness.  My  Affection  for  the  Lady.  A  Surprise. 
Robbery  of  Camp.  Suspicions.  The  Lady  on  Guard.  Clean- 
liness of  the  Grizzly  Bear.  An  Antelope  Hunt  and  Slaughter. 
Our  Return  to  Camp  at  Night.  Pursued  by  Wolves.  Sykesey'a 
Fright.     Attack  by  a  Panther.     The  Panther  a  Sneak. 

It  was  late  the  next  morning  when  we  awaked, 
still  drowsy  and  sleepy  from  the  effects  of  the  feast. 
Sykesey  complained  of  indisposition,  and  Stanislaus 
had  gorged  himself;  so  that  it  fell  upon  Tuolumne 
and  me  to  go  upon  the  hunt  and  provide  fresh  meat, 
of  which  there  was  not  a  particle  about  camp.  We 
accordingly  mounted  the  mules  and  rode  forth;  but, 
for  a  long  time,  could  see  nothing.  Suddenly  we 
came  upon  four  deer,  and  dismounting,  managed  by 
cautious  working  to  approach  within  ninety  yards; 
when  one  of  the  band  happened  to  espy  us,  snorted 
the  note  of  alarm,  and  all  began  staring  about,  pre- 
paratory to  starting  on  the  run.  At  this  instant, 
however,  I  ordered  Tuolumne  to  fire;  and,  doing  the 
same  myself,  we  killed  two;  with  the  bodies  of  which, 
as  soon  as  they  could  be  packed,  I  sent  Tuolumne 
ahead,  ordering  him  to  stop  and  await  me  at  a  cer- 


104  PROGRESS   OF 

tain  hill,  while  I  Avould  make  a  circuit  and  try  to 
kill  something  more.  But,  either  because  I  was  too 
drowsy  to  see,  or  because  game  was  scarce,  I  could 
find  nothing;  and,  soon  giving  up  the  hunt,  pro- 
ceeded to  the  appointed  hill. 

I  found  that  Tuolumne  was  Indeed  waiting  for  me; 
but  as  he  sat  on  a  shady  bank,  holding  the  lariats  of 
the  mules  in  his  hands,  he  had  fallen  fast  asleep! 
Thinking  to  have  fun  out  of  this  circumstance,  I  tried 
to  get  the  lariats  out  of  his  grasp;  but  he  had  woimd 
them  so  tightly  about  his  arm  as  to  render  this  impos- 
sible. He  suddenly  waked,  and  cried  that  he  had 
learned  the  Yankee's  trick  of  sleeping  with  an  eye 
open.  We  then  proceeded  on  our  way,  and  arrived 
at  camp  early  in  the  afternoon;  so  early,  indeed,  that 
Sykesey  expressed  surprise;  "for,"  said  he,  "this  is 
the  best  time  of  the  day  to  hunt."  "Yes,"  I  replied; 
"but  you  are  not  the  only  man  whose  flesh  and  blood 
tire  and  sleep." 

The  next  day,  I  resolved  to  remain  at  camp  and 
train  my  pets,  and  particularly  Lady  Washington, 
who  had  now  become  tame  enough  to  follow  me  with- 
out leading.  The  thought  struck  me  of  teaching  her 
to  carry  a  pack;  and  getting  an  old  flour-bag,  and 
filling  it  with  sand,  I  lashed  it  upon  her  shaggy  back. 
It  was  barely  bound  on,  however,  before  she  threw 
her  head  around,  seized  it  with  her  teeth  and  tore  a 
great  hole,  and  the  sand  ran  out.  I  talked  to  her, 
tried  to  make  her  understand  what  was  wanted,  and 
reproved  her  with  a  stick,  but  it  was  of  no  use;  she 
grew  angry,  and  I  found  that  it  was  not  prudent  to 


LADY  Washington's  education.  105 

carry  the  affair  any  further  that  day,  so  I  busied 
myself  with  Jackson,  the  wolves,  and  the  little  black 
bears,  all  of  which  improved  rapidly. 

A  few  days  after  this,  an  adventure  occurred  in 
which  the  Lady  played  an  important  part.  Having 
determined  to  build  another  trap,  we  all  set  forth  to 
the  spot  selected,  which  was  about  four  miles  distant. 
Being  anxious  all  the  time  to  accustom  the  Lady  to 
my  companionship,  I  allowed  her  to  follow  me.  It 
was  a  little  hazardous,  perhaps,  to  take  her  so  great 
a  distance,  but  so  firm  was  my  confidence  in  her 
training  as  to  overrule  all  objection.  She  followed 
like  a  dog,  and  during  the  whole  day  remained  at  my 
side,  partaking  of  my  lunch  at  noon. 

Towards  evening,  as  we  got  ready  to  start  home. 
I  gave  my  rifle  to  Stanislaus,  and  directed  him,  with 
Sykesey  and  Tuolumne,  to  make  a  circuit  and  kill 
what  game  they  could,  while  I  would  go  direct  to 
camp  with  the  Lady.  They  went  off  in  one  direction, 
and  I  started  in  another,  with  nothing  to  defend  my- 
self except  my  pistol  and  bowie-knife.  I  had  not 
gone  far  before  several  deer,  grazing  on  a  hill-side, 
attracted  my  attention;  and  though  it  was  foolish 
to  attempt  to  shoot  them  with  a  pistol,  my  ambition 
was  such  that  I  could  not  think  of  allowing  the  oppor- 
tunity to  pass  without  an  attempt.  Accordingly,  I 
tried  to  creep  around  to  a  spot  from  which  to  fire  with 
advantage;  and,  coming  to  a  thicket,  commenced 
crawling  through  the  brush,  the  Lady  following  in  my 
wake.  But  before  advancing  more  than  a  hundred 
yards,  I  felt  that  my  position  was  dangerous;  there 


lOG  PROGRESS   OF 

certainly  were  bears  about,  and  if  one  should  attack 
me,  being  without  a  rifle,  I  would  have  but  a  poor 
chance.  The  deer,  it  is  true,  still  remained  grazing, 
and  this  was  the  first  time  the  Old  Hunter  ever  re- 
fused an  opportunity  of  killing  a  deer  when  he  was 
in  need  of  provision;  but  the  risks  seemed  too  great, 
and  the  chance  of  success  too  small,  and,  finally,  I 
turned  around  and  began  backing  out.  Suddenly, 
Lady  Washington  gave  a  snort  and  chattered  her 
teeth.  I  wheeled  around  at  this,  and  directly  behind 
the  Lady,  full  in  sight,  standing  upon  his  hind  legs 
and  wickedly  surveying  us,  stood  a  savage  old  grizzly. 
That  he  had  hostile  intentions,  all  his  actions  clearly 
showed;  and  there  I  was,  almost  without  arms,  and 
with  the  Lady  as  well  as  myself  to  take  care  of. 

In  this  emergency,  I  seized  the  chain  with  which 
the  Lady  was  usually  tied,  and  which  was  now 
wrapped  about  her  neck,  and  unwound  it  as  noise- 
lessly as  possible.  I  was  then  about  to  move  to  a 
tree  which  stood  near,  when  the  enemy  dropped  upon 
his  all  fours,  came  a  little  nearer,  and  rose  again. 
Here  was  a  dilemma.  I  knew  from  the  nature  of  the 
beast  that  if  I  moved  now,  I  was  to  expect  him  either 
to  instantly  attack  or  precipitately  fly,  —  but  the  former 
much  more  probably  than  the  latter.  I  did  not  wish 
to  hasten  an  unforeseen  determination  on  his  part, 
however,  and  therefore  stood  stock-still,  with  my  pis- 
tol in  my  hand;  and  thus  we  both,  motionless  as 
stone,  eyed  each  other.  It  is  difficult  to  tell  how 
long  the  bear  would  have  gazed  without  acting,  —  not 
long,  probably;  but  seeing  his  indecision,  I  resolved 


LADY  Washington's  education.  107 

to  turn  it  to  my  advantage;  and  suddenly  discharging 
the  pistol,  rattling  the  iron  chain,  and  at  the  same 
time  yelling  with  all  my  might,  I  had  the  gratification 
of  seeing  the  enemy  turn  tail  and  run,  as  if  fright- 
ened out  of  his  wits.  Not  satisfied  with  this,  I  fol- 
lowed after  him  yelling  and  shouting,  with  the  Lady 
growling  and  the  chain  clanking.  It  seemed  as  if  a 
thousand  devils  had  sprung  up  all  at  once  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  the  old  bear  tore  through  the  bushes  as 
if  each  particular  one  was  after  him. 

Such  was  the  first  instance  in  which  Lady  Washing- 
ton, my  faithful  friend  and  constant  companion  for 
years  afterwards,  stood  side  by  side  with  me  in  the 
hour  of  danger  and  dire  alarm;  and  from  that  time,  I 
felt  for  her  an  affection  which  I  have  seldom  given  to 
any  human  being.  The  remainder  of  the  way,  I  kept  a 
watchful  eye;  but  nothing  further,  worthy  of  mention, 
occurred,  and  we  safely  reached  camp  an  hour  after 
sundown.  I  gave  notice  of  my  approach,  as  usual 
after  dark,  by  discharging  a  chamber  of  my  pistol. 
Upon  getting  in,  my  comrades  at  first  laughed  at  me 
for  being  lost  again,  as  they  supposed;  but  they 
opened  their  eyes  wide,  when  I  came  to  tell  of  the  old 
grizzly,  and  the  deadly  fright  which  the  rattling  of  the 
Lady's  chain  had  given  him. 

The  narrative  of  this  adventure  was  curious  enough; 
but  my  comrades  replied  that  they  had  also  surprising 
news  for  me;  and  when  I  asked  what  could  be  so  won- 
derful, they  told  me  to  guess.  I  supposed  that  they 
had  killed  a  large  amount  of  game;  but  no,  that  was 
not  it;  I  then  guessed  that  thev  had  had  a  fight  with  a 


108  PROGRESS   OF 

bear  or  a  panther,  but  neither  was  this  it;  a  third  time, 
I  guessed  that  they  had  been  frightened  into  camp, 
for  they  wore  a  scared  look;  but  neither  was  this  it. 
They  then  told  me  that,  upon  arriving  at  camp,  they 
had  noticed  a  bright  fire  burning,  which  showed  plainly 
that  some  one  had  been  there  but  a  short  time  before. 
Not  thinking  much  of  this,  they  had  proceeded  to 
feed  the  pets,  but  found  that  the  two  little  black 
bears  were  missing;  and,  shortly  afterwards,  that  a 
portion  of  our  stock  of  salt,  a  portion  of  our  pepper, 
a  portion  of  our  powder  and  lead,  and  a  sack  of  dried 
meat,  were  gone.  All  this  surprised  me  indeed,  and 
I  reproached  myself  that  my  anxiety  to  finish  the 
trap  had  betrayed  me  into  such  great  carelessness  as 
to  leave  my  camp  unguarded.  However,  I  con- 
cluded, from  the  nature  of  the  articles  taken,  that 
some  neighboring  hunters  must  have  visited  our  stores 
and  helped  themselves  to  what  they  wanted;  and, 
though  not  aware  that  any  other  hunters  were  within 
fifty  miles,  I  felt  confident  of  hearing  of  my  bears 
again,  and  calmed  the  fears  of  my  comrades  with  this 
trust. 

As,  however,  the  unknown  visitors  might  be  hostile, 
we  took  the  precaution  that  night  to  remove  our 
blankets  from  the  fire,  so  as  not  to  be  exposed,  in 
case  of  an  attack.  We  were  too  much  fatigued,  nor 
was  it  at  all  necessary  to  place  a  watch;  but  a  guard 
I  did  station  at  my  side,  in  whose  wakefulness  and 
fidelity  I  already  could  place  the  greatest  reliance. 
This  was  no  other  than  Lady  Washington;  for  the 
bear,  notwithstanding  its  apparently  drowsy  and  slum- 


LADY  Washington's  education.  109 

berous  nature,  is  a  wakeful  animal;  and,  should  any- 
thing approach  during  the  night,  I  knew  the  Lady 
would  be  likely  to  observe  and  give  me  notice  of  it. 
Subsequently  to  this  time,  my  bears  often  waked  me, 
though  but  a  coyote  or  a  skunk  approached  my  quar- 
ters; but,  upon  this  occasion,  nothing  disturbed  us, 
and  the  Lady  remained  perfectly  quiet  —  except,  in- 
deed, in  one  instance,  when,  actuated  by  an  innate 
love  of  cleanliness,  she  roused  and  removed  to  the 
end  of  her  chain.  My  personal  observations,  made 
on  this  and  other  occasions,  have  convinced  me  that 
cleanliness  is  as  much  a  natural  virtue  in  the  ursine, 
as  in  the  feline  race. 

The  next  day,  having  resolved  never  to  leave  our 
camp  unprotected  again,  we  left  Stanislaus  in  charge; 
and  the  rest  of  us  proceeded  to  the  new  trap,  which, 
by  energetic  work,  we  finished  and  baited  early  in 
the  afternoon.  We  then  set  out  to  return,  intending 
to  hunt  upon  the  way;  and,  for  this  purpose,  made  a 
circuit  towards  a  ravine  in  the  hills,  into  which,  in  the 
morning,  we  had  driven  a  band  of  antelopes.  As  it 
was  now  towards  evening,  I  expected  these  antelopes 
to  be  coming  down  from  the  hills  to  graze  in  the  plain 
during  the  night,  as  was  their  habit;  and,  accord- 
ingly, Sykesey  and  I  posted  ourselves  at  the  mouth 
of  the  ravine,  while  Tuolumne  went  over  the  hills  to 
drive  down  all  the  game  he  should  find.  In  a  short 
time,  a  band  of  thirty  or  forty  antelopes  passed 
directly  in  front  of  our  ambuscade;  when  Sykesey, 
who  was  concealed  behind  a  tree,  fired  and  wounded 
one.     As  they  came  to  my  concealment,  which  v/as  a 


110  PROGRESS    OF 

rock,  they  were  all  in  a  cluster;  and,  upon  firlnp;,  I 
also  brought  one  to  the  ground,  and  then,  snatching 
my  revolver,  fired  three  additional  shots  into  the  band 
and  wounded  another.  As  the  band  rushed  on,  we 
mounted  our  mules  to  pursue  the  wounded  ones,  which 
we  soon  despatched;  but  the  main  band  reached  the 
plain  and  escaped. 

It  was  now  nearly  night,  and  the  road  to  camp 
long,  but  we  packed  the  antelopes  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible; and,  while  Sykesey  rode  one  mule  and  led  the 
other,  loaded,  Tuolumne  and  I  pioneered  the  way. 
Thus  we  proceeded  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  when  a 
gang  of  wolves  opened  upon  our  trail,  and  Sykesey 
became  so  frightened  that  he  would  not  go  behind 
with  the  meat  any  longer;  for  the  meat,  he  said,  was 
what  they  were  after,  and  it  ought  to  go  in  front. 
I  replied,  that  all  the  wolves  in  the  country  were 
not  very  formidable;  but,  if  he  wished,  he  should 
go  ahead,  and  we  would  follow.  He  accordingly 
changed  to  the  van,  and  Tuolumne  and  I  brought  up 
the  rear;  and  again  we  proceeded.  The  wolves, 
meanwhile,  kept  coming  on  howling  behind  us,  draw- 
ing nearer  and  nearer,  and  more  and  more  emboldened 
with  their  approaches;  but  we  paid  no  attention  to 
them,  till  at  length  we  came  to  a  thicket,  through 
which  we  would  have  to  pass  and  where  they  might, 
perhaps,  attack  us  in  disadvantageous  straits.  Here, 
therefore,  I  directed  a  halt,  and  we  sat  down  and 
awaited  the  coming  up  of  the  pursuers;  but  the 
cowardly  rascals  were  afraid  to  approach  nearer  than 
fifty  yards,   where  they  sat  howling  at  us.     It  was 


LADY  Washington's  education.  Ill 

starlight;  we  could  see  their  eyes;  but  they  dared 
come  no  nearer;  and,  finally,  nothing  was  left  but  to 
discharge  our  pieces  very  much  at  random  into  their 
midst.  Whether  any  were  killed  or  wounded,  there 
was  no  means  of  knowing;  but,  certain  it  is,  that  the 
shots  had  a  good  effect,  for  the  gang  was  frightened 
and  left  us. 

We  then  entered  the  thicket,  Tuolumne  and  I  in 
front  again,  and  Sykesey  and  the  mules  following; 
but,  before  we  had  gone  far,  Sykesey  suddenly  uttered 
an  exclamation  of  terror,  and  the  packed  mule  rushed 
wildly  past  us  through  the  bushes.  It  was  too  dark 
to  see  what  the  difficulty  was;  but  Sykesey  soon  ex- 
plained, that  some  wild  beast  had  sprung  from  the 
roadside  upon  the  mule,  though,  missing  its  footing,  it 
had  fallen  over  and  escaped.  I  asked,  what  he  sup- 
posed it  was;  he  replied  he  did  not  know,  unless 
a  lion.  To  satisfy  myself,  I  pulled  out  a  flint  and 
steel,  and,  gathering  some  dry  leaves,  struck  a  fire; 
and,  upon  examination,  we  soon  ascertained,  by  the 
prints  which  the  animal  had  left  in  the  ground,  that  it 
v.as  a  huge  panther. 

It  is  said  of  the  African  lion,  that  when  he  makes 
a  spring  and  misses  his  prey,  he  makes  no  second 
attempt;  and  the  same  is  said  of  the  California  lion, 
or,  in  other  words,  the  panther.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  the  remark  is  true  in  either  case;  but,  if  it 
be,  we  should  not,  from  such  a  circumstance  alone, 
conclude,  as  some  have  done,  that  there  is  any  great 
magnanimity  in  their  characters.  They  both  belong 
to  a  genus,  which  I  cannot  better  describe  than  by 


112  LADY  Washington's  education. 

calling  them  sneaks.  We  found  where  this  sneak 
had  been  lying  in  wait  for  prey,  and  whence  it  had 
doubtless  leaped.  It  was  not  far  from  a  fountain 
where  animals  congregated,  thus  affording  a  fine  field 
for  treachery  and  assassination.  Having  thus  satis- 
fied ourselves,  we  proceeded  on  to  camp,  where  the 
runaway  mule  had  arrived  before  us,  with  her  pack  in 
order;  and,  but  for  a  scratch  or  two,  all  safe  and 
sound. 


BUFFALO    HUNTING.  113 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

BUFFALO    HUNTING. 

An  Indian  Embassy.  Table-Talk.  On  the  Hunt.  Discovery  of 
Buffaloes.  The  Buffalo  Range.  Buffalo  Hunting  on  the  Plains. 
Our  Plan  of  Attack.  Our  first  Buffalo  Blood.  Chase  of  the 
Buffalo.  Our  Disguise.  Slaughter  of  the  Buffalo.  The  Honors 
of  the  Hunt.  A  Buffalo  Supper.  A  Fellow  Forty-Niner  turns 
up.  Curing  of  Buffalo  Robes.  Soap-Root.  Smoke.  The  In- 
dian Method.  Visit  to  Kennasket.  His  Valuation  of  Wolves. 
The  Tules.  Indian  Handiwork.  Tule  Bread.  Our  Success  at 
Bargaining  with  Kennasket. 

We  were  awakened  the  next  morning,  as  we  had 
been  awakened  once  before,  by  the  shouts  of  Indians; 
and  jumping  up,  we  found  the  same  three  braves  as 
previously,  who  had  come  up  from  the  village  thus 
early  so  as  to  find  us  before  we  went  out  for  the  day. 
I  had  on  several  occasions  spoken  with  Kennasket 
about  purchasing  two  of  his  horses,  and  the  braves 
proved  to  be  his  messengers,  with  answer  that  he 
would  sell  provided  his  price  were  paid,  a  portion  of 
which  must  be  my  two  wolf  whelps.  I  answered  that 
I  would  visit  the  chief  the  next  day  and  settle  the 
terms;  and  then,  with  the  usual  hospitality  of  a  moun- 
tain camp,  I  invited  my  guests  to  breakfast.  As  we 
sat  talking,  they  told  me  of  other  white  hunters  sta- 
tioned a  few  miles  on  the  other  side  of  their  village; 
and  these  hunters,  they  said,  had  two  black  bears 
exactly  Uke  mine.  "If,"  said  I,  "they  are  exactly 
like  mine,  they  must  be  mine." 


114  BUFFALO    HUNTING. 

After  the  Indians  departed,  we  proceeded  to  our 
traps,  but  found  only  two  thievish  coyotes,  which  I 
soon  despatched  with  my  pistol.  We  then  took  a 
wide  circuit,  intending  to  hunt  around  towards  camp, 
and  travelled  a  long  way,  when,  unexpectedly,  we 
discovered  a  few  buffaloes  grazing  at  a  distance.  It 
is  not  usual  to  find  buffaloes  west  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, and  especially  so  far  west  as  where  we  now 
were;  but  they  sometimes  stray  from  their  general 
haunts;  and,  before  leaving  the  country,  we  had  the 
pleasure  of  several  excellent  buffalo  hunts,  as  will  be 
seen. 

Usually,  buffalo  hunting  is  conducted  by  direct  and 
open  attacks  upon  extensive  grassy  plains,  with  not  a 
tree,  rock,  or  other  lurking-place  in  sight.  The  buf- 
falo hunter,  armed  with  light  and  handy  weapons, 
mounted  on  a  hardy  Indian  horse  skilled  in  the  ways 
of  the  battle  and  hungry  for  the  combat,  rushes  into 
the  midst  of  a  herd  and  fights  a  close  conflict,  not 
without  danger.  It  is  a  manly  sport,  not  unworthy 
the  buckskin-coated  heroes  whose  fame  is  handed 
down  on  many  a  wampum  belt  and  pictured  rock. 
For  myself,  I  knew  little  of  the  sport  as  it  is  carried 
on  upon  the  slopes  of  the  Platte  and  the  Upper  Mis- 
souri, nor  was  I  prepared  for  such  game;  but  having 
a  good  rifle,  and  considerable  experience  in  the  gen- 
eral principles  of  hunting,  I  laid  my  plans  according 
to  my  circumstances.  My  comrades  I  sent  to  take 
u})  an  ambush  beyond  the  game,  while  I  ascended  a 
hill  directly  over  where  they  grazed;  and  I  was  con- 
gratulating myself  upon  my  success  so  far,  when  the 


BUFFALO    HUNTING.  115 

buffaloes  espied  me,  rolled  up  their  tails,  lifted  their 
rumps  into  the  air,  and  scampered  off  in  the  greatest 
consternation.  Fortunately,  they  galloped  directly 
past  the  spot  where  my  comrades  were  concealed, 
who  fired,  and  broke  the  leg  of  one  of  the  cows;  and 
this  being  the  first  buffalo  blood  drawn  by  our  party, 
I  cried,  with  great  satisfaction,  "Bravely  done!" 
They  shouted  back,  in  great  glee,  that  they  had 
beaten  the  Old  Hunter  for  once,  and  then  ran  after 
the  crippled  animal.  I  stood  a  moment  watching  the 
race,  but  seeing  that  the  buffalo,  though  grievously 
wounded,  would  outstrip  them.  I  hastily  mounted 
a  mule,  and,  with  my  rifle  in  one  hand  and  a  club 
in  the  other,  galloped  after  them  to  assist  at  the 
death. 

The  boys  had  chased  the  buffalo  into  a  wide  plain, 
where  several  times  they  tried  to  approach  within 
gunshot;  but,  at  every  endeavor,  the  wary  animal 
started  off  with  redoubled  speed,  and  fled  beyond 
their  reach.  Seeing  this,  I  applied  the  club  to  the 
mule's  back,  and  galloped  like  a  madman,  over  hill 
and  knoll,  across  valley  and  ravine,  now  seeing  the 
game  and  again  losing  sight  of  it,  until,  after  nearly 
a  mile's  hard  riding,  I  caught  up  with  the  chase  and 
stopped  the  pursuit.  In  a  short  time,  as  I  had  ex- 
pected, the  buffalo,  weak  with  fatigue  and  loss  of 
blood,  lay  down  in  a  patch  of  tall  grass;  and,  as  soon 
as  she  did  so,  giving  the  mule  to  Tuolumne,  Sykesey 
and  I  tied  wreaths  of  grass  about  our  heads,  such  as 
the  Indians  had  used  for  deer  hunting,  and,  by  crawl- 
ing upon  our  bellies,  approached  within  sixty  yards 


116  BUFFALO    HUNTING. 

of  our  game.  So  perfect  was  our  disguise,  that  the 
watchful  animal,  though  glaring  upon  every  side,  did 
not  observe  us.  It  was,  however,  impossible  to  pro- 
cure satisfactory  aim  in  that  position;  and,  therefore, 
determining  to  try  my  grizzly  plan,  I  rose,  with  my 
rifle  at  my  face,  and  gave  a  sharp  whistle.  This 
caused  the  buffalo  to  spring  suddenly  upon  her  feet, 
and,  wheeling  around,  she  gazed  and  gathered  herself 
for  a  charge  upon  me.  As  she  lowered  her  head,  I 
fired,  and  heard  the  ball  tell  upon  her  forehead;  but 
the  animal  only  staggered,  and  would  have  still  made 
her  plunge,  had  not  Sykesey,  who  was  upon  the  flank, 
opportunely  fired  a  ball  behind  the  shoulder,  and  she 
fell.  I  jumped  forward,  drew  my  knife  across  her 
throat,  and  she  soon  poured  out  her  life  upon  the 
plain.  Her  companions  of  the  herd  had  already  long 
disappeared  over  the  farthest  verge  of  the  horizon. 

We  hastily  disrobed  our  game,  and  packed  it;  but, 
before  doing  so,  I  examined  the  skull,  and  found  that 
my  ball  had  glanced  from  the  bony  forehead  without 
penetrating  it.  Sykesey  laughed,  and  claimed  the 
credit  of  killing  the  first  buffalo,  —  an  honor  which  I 
joyfully  accorded,  as  his  shot  was  really  excellent  in 
itself,  and  excellently  well  timed.  We  then  hurried 
to  camp,  which,  being  eight  or  ten  miles  distant,  we 
did  not  reach  till  long  after  dark;  but  such  noble 
buffalo  steaks  as  we  had  for  supper,  and  that  violence 
of  appetite  which  a  deferred  meal  produces,  fully  com- 
pensated for  the  lateness  of  the  hour.  The  anticipation 
of  this  meal,  indeed,  hastened  our  travel;  so  that, 
although  antelopes  and  other  game  invited  our  atten- 


BUFFALO    HUNTING.  117 

tion  on  the  way,  we  did  not  turn  aside,  and,  upon 
reaching  the  camp  fire,  our  first  movement  was  to  spit 
a  number  of  choice  cuts. 

That  evening,  Stanislaus  gave  me  an  account  of  a 
white  man  who  had  visited  camp  during  the  day,  pro- 
fessing to  be  a  hunter  from  Texas,  wishing  to  see  me 
very  much.  He  had  come  to  California  in  the  same 
company  with  me,  —  so  he  said,  but  the  boy  could 
not  recollect  his  name.  I  recalled  all  my  companions 
of  that  disastrous  journey,  but  was  unable  to  imagine 
who  this  could  be.  It  seemed  strange  to  me  that  des- 
tiny could  have  led  any  of  them  by  a  long,  circuitous 
course,  evidently  widely  different  from  mine,  thus  to 
meet  me  in  the  wilderness. 

Before  going  to  bed  that  evening,  I  placed  the  buf- 
falo skin  in  pickle;  and,  although  this  was  my  first 
attempt  to  cure  a  skin  of  the  kind,  it  turned  out  a 
beautiful  robe.  My  method  of  preparing  these  hides 
was  to  take  saltpetre,  alum,  and  a  little  arsenic,  well 
pulverized  together,  and  rub  them  lightly  over  the 
fleshy  side  of  the  skin.  These  substances  seemed  to 
have  the  effect  of  preventing  putrefaction,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  preserving  the  hide  soft  and  pliable.  The 
skin  was  then  doubled,  bringing  the  raw  parts  to- 
gether, rolled  up,  and  left  to  lie  for  a  day  or  two, 
when  it  was  unrolled  and  the  greasy  parts  scraped  off. 
Next,  a  root  which  grows  in  all  portions  of  the  coun- 
try, called  soap-root,  was  pounded  with  water  into  a 
kind  of  paste  and  rubbed  on  the  skin,  which  was  then 
left  to  lie  a  day  or  two  longer.  This  root  had  the 
effect  of  tanning  and  further  softening  the  hide,  or 


118  BUFFALO    HUNTING. 

such  was,  at  least,  supposed  to  be  its  virtue.  Next, 
the  skin  was  placed  upon  some  hard  and  smooth  sub- 
stance, and  laboriously  rubbed  with  a  large,  smooth 
stone,  until  perfectly  soft  and  dry.  It  was  then  hung 
up  and  smoked,  which  gave  it  the  finishing  touch, 
when  it  assumed  a  light  snuff  color.  The  smoking 
also  served  to  preserve  it  from  bugs  and  other  insects, 
which  would  otherwise  have  soon  destroyed  it.  This 
was  also  the  method  in  which  many  of  the  Indians 
cured  their  buffalo  robes,  with  the  exception  that  it 
was  rare  to  find  saltpetre,  alum,  or  arsenic  among 
them;  but  soap-root,  or  something  equivalent,  and 
smoke,  they  always  used. 

The  next  day,  according  to  appointment,  having 
loaded  a  mule  with  buffalo  meat,  and  taking  the  two 
wolf  whelps,  Tuolumne  and  I  went  down  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Kennasket  to  drive  a  trade  for  horses.  We 
found  him  awaiting  us;  and  as  soon  as  his  eyes  fell 
upon  the  "lobos,"  he  was  in  raptures,  and  could  not 
get  enough  of  looking  at  and  playing  with  them. 
His  pleasure  gave  me  much  satisfaction;  and,  on 
coming  to  bargain,  I  found  his  valuation  of  the 
whelps  was  by  no  means  niggardly;  but  we  were 
interrupted  in  our  bargaining  by  the  squaws,  who 
announced  dinner,  and  we  sat  down  to  buffalo  meat 
and  tule  bread. 

This  tule  is  a  remarkable  vegetable;  and,  consider- 
ing the  immense  tracts  of  it  in  California,  and,  indeed, 
throughout  the  whole  western  country,  it  may,  at  some 
future  period,  assume  an  importance  far  beyond  the 
imagination  of  the  present  day.     To  how  many  differ- 


BUFFALO    HUNTING.  119 

ent  uses  It  will  be  applied,  is  not  for  me  to  prophecy; 
but  that  it  is  not  mere  waste,  fit  only  for  the  conceal- 
ment of  elks  and  the  fuel  of  autumn  fires,  we  may 
be  well  assured.  Civilization,  so  far  as  I  know,  has 
not  yet  found  a  use  for  it,  unless  in  a  few  places  for 
the  pasturage  of  swine;  but  the  Indians  use  the 
reeds  in  large  quantities  for  making  hampers,  bas- 
kets, and  mats,  and  the  roots  for  their  bread,  such  as 
was  now  placed  before  us.  The  squaws  collect  large 
quantities  of  the  roots  in  the  marshes,  where  the  reed 
grows,  and  cutting  off  the  exterior  rind,  retain  only 
the  interior  part,  which  is  sweet.  This  they  cut  into 
small  pieces,  about  the  size  of  chestnuts,  and  place  in 
the  sun  until  thoroughly  dried.  When  required  for 
use,  they  grind  it  between  stones  very  fine  and  mix 
it  with  grass  or  wild  dock  meal,  usually  in  the  propor- 
tion of  two-thirds  tule  to  one  third  grass  or  dock 
meal;  the  object  being  not  only  to  give  the  dough  a 
more  positive  taste,  but  also  the  proper  consistency, 
as  the  tule  is  rather  crumbly,  like  corn  meal,  while 
the  others  are  pasty.  The  dough,  so  prepared,  is 
rolled  into  small  loaves,  which  are  placed  in  the  ashes 
and  baked;  and  they  make  very  healthy  and  palatable 
bread. 

Dinner  being  over,  we  proceeded  with  our  bargain- 
ing, and  effected  a  trade,  by  which  I  received  two 
horses  for  two  wolf  whelps,  two  sacks  of  dried  veni- 
son, and  a  black  bear.  The  horses  were  received, 
and  the  wolves  given  over  immediately;  but  I  asked 
time  for  the  delivery  of  the  venison  and  the  bear; 
to   which,   the    chief,  as   soon   as   he   heard    of   my 


120  BUFFALO    HUNTING. 

being  robbed,  readily  assented.  Tuolumne  and  I 
then  mounted  our  newly-purchased  horses  and  rode 
off  towards  the  stranger  camp,  which  was  pointed  out 
to  us  a  few  miles  distant. 


TEXAN    HUNTERS.  121 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TEXAN    HUNTERS. 

The  Strangers.  Kimball.  A  Reminiscence  of  the  Colorado  Desert. 
Hunter's  "Sport."  Comparison  of  Notes.  Further  Bargaining 
with  Kennasket.  His  Valuation  of  Bears.  The  Plague  of  Wealth. 
Guarding  our  Horses.  Dried  Meat.  Elk  Late.  Slaying  Elks  in 
the  Tules.  Return  to  Camp.  Lost  by  the  Carelessness  of  Com- 
rades. Second  Visit  to  the  Lake.  Tuolumne's  Horseback  Feat. 
Visit  to  the  Traps.  Coyotes.  Bears.  Stones  in  living  Hearts. 
Vitality  of  Animals.     Reception  of  Kimball  and  his  Comrades. 

The  strangers  proved  to  be  three  Texan  hunters, 
one  of  whom  I  immediately  recognized  and  called 
his  name,  —  Mr.  Kimball.  I  asked  what  could  have 
brought  him  into  these  wild  regions,  "Well,"  said 
he,  "to  tell  the  truth,  Mr.  Adams,  I  never  would 
have  got  so  far,  had  it  not  been  for  that  canteen  of 
water  which  you  gave  me  on  the  Colorado  desert." 
He  was,  indeed,  a  fellow  traveller  with  me  over  the 
ninety  mile  desert  in  1849,  when  several  of  us,  being 
worn  out  and  incapable  of  further  travel,  were  left  by 
the  remainder  of  the  company  to  get  along  as  best 
we  could.  I  happened  to  have  a  canteen  of  water, 
which  I  shared  between  Kimball  and  a  companion  of 
his;  and  ever  afterwards,  Kimball  declared  that  that 
canteen  had  saved  his  life,  —  and  there  may  have 
been  truth  in  this  declaration;  for  the  third  man, 
notwithstanding  our  assistance,  soon  after  died  of 
fatigue  and  exhaustion. 


122  TEXAN    HUNTEES. 

We  talked  a  considerable  time  over  this  matter, 
when  Kimball  broke  out  into  a  loud  laugh,  and  re- 
marking that  one  favor  deserved  another,  said  that  he 
had  been  at  my  camp  a  number  of  times;  but,  being 
never  able  to  find  me,  he  had  finally  taken  my  bears 
and  a  portion  of  my  stores,  supposing  that  I  would, 
of  course,  hunt  them  up,  and  we  would  certainly  meet. 
It  was  a  little  difficult  to  see  the  wit  of  bringing 
about  a  meeting  in  this  way;  but,  as  it  would,  among 
hunters  generally,  be  considered  legitimate  sport  thus 
to  help  one's  self,  I  could  make  no  complaint,  and 
accepted  Kimball's  invitation  to  remain  over  night. 
Soon  afterwards  we  all  sat  down  to  supper;  after 
which,  Kimball  and  I  recommenced  our  conversation, 
and  related  over  our  respective  histories,  from  the 
time  when  we  crossed  the  desert  together  till  the  time 
of  our  strange  meeting.  It  appeared  from  his  story, 
that  he  and  his  companions,  who  were  named  Foster 
and  Partridge,  had  come  up  into  the  northern  terri- 
tories for  the  purpose  of  making  a  settlement;  but 
being  all  hunters,  they  had  stopped  for  a  week  or  two 
to  hunt.  My  story  was  a  longer  one  than  his;  and 
we  sat  talking  together  by  the  camp  fire  long  after 
all  the  rest  were  slumbering. 

In  the  morning,  Tuolumne  and  I  mounted  our 
horses,  and,  bidding  adieu  to  the  Texans,  took  our 
bears  and  proceeded  back  to  the  village  of  Kennasket. 
As  the  chief  had  acted  liberally,  I  gave  him  the 
choice  of  the  bears;  but  he  found  it  so  difficult  to 
choose  between  them  that  he  at  last  proposed  a  third 
horse  for  the  second  bear,  which,  of  course,  was  read- 


TEXAN    HUNTERS.  123 

ily  accepted.  We  thereupon  returned  to  our  camp 
in  great  good  spirits,  having  accomplished,  by  our 
journey,  a  great  deal  more  than  was  anticipated. 

It  is  not  unpleasant  to  possess  valuable  property, 
for  it  makes  a  man  feel,  so  far,  rich;  but  in  many 
cases,  by  so  much  the  more  valuable  that  a  thing  is, 
just  so  much  the  more  trouble  and  anxiety  does  it 
require  to  watch  and  preserve  it.  There  are  many 
rich  men,  who  lead  miserable  lives  on  account  of  their 
riches,  being  bothered  almost  to  distraction  with 
acres  to  which  the  poorer  man  is  a  stranger.  Thus 
it  now  became  a  plague  to  us  to  have  valuable  horses, 
because  we  had  to  watch  them.  While  there  was 
nothing  but  mules  about  our  camp,  which  no  man 
cared  to  steal,  we  slept  soundly,  but  with  our  horses 
we  had  to  keep  a  watch  every  night;  and  from  this 
period,  it  became  a  new  regulation  in  camp,  that 
there  should  be  a  constant  guard,  —  sometimes  one, 
sometimes  two  of  us  relieved  at  midnight. 

The  season  got  by  this  time  to  be  pretty  well  ad- 
vanced, and  we  began  to  think  of  our  return  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  of  laying  in  a  stock  of  dried  meat  for  the 
support  of  ourselves  and  our  animals  on  the  journey. 
While  at  the  village,  the  Indians  had  told  me  of  a 
lake,  some  twenty-five  miles  distant,  in  a  northeast 
direction,  where  they  said  there  were  elks  in  abun- 
dance; and,  having  now  good  horses,  I  determined  to 
visit  it.  The  next  day,  accordingly,  Tuolumne  and 
I  mounted  the  two  best  horses,  and  set  out  in  the 
direction  indicated. 

After  riding  hard  for  several  hours,   we  came  in 


124  TEXAN   HUNTERS. 

sight  of  a  considerable  body  of  water,  the  shores  of 
which  were  low,  and  covered  for  miles  with  tule 
rushes,  —  making  a  sight  which  was  beautiful  to  look 
at.  For  a  time,  as  I  cast  my  eyes  over  the  prospect, 
my  errand  in  visiting  it  was  forgotten;  but  upon  our 
approaching  nearer  and  nearer,  a  number  of  elks 
feeding  in  the  tule,  recalled  me  to  my  business,  and 
I  set  about  making  a  slaughter  among  them.  We 
determined  to  creep  upon  them;  and  as  the  tule  was 
tall  and  thick,  and  the  animals  busy  feeding,  we  were 
enabled,  after  dismounting,  to  approach  close;  and, 
fairer  mark  could  not  have  been  desired  than  I  had 
at  one  noble  buck,  which  at  my  first  fire  dropped 
in  his  tracks.  The  next  moment,  Tuolumne's  rifle 
cracked,  and  immediately  we  both  reloaded  as  quickly 
as  possible.  The  elks  had  probably  not  been  hunted 
before,  for  they  did  not  run,  but  tramped  around  in 
bewilderment;  so  that  I  had  an  opportunity  to  fire 
again,  and  broke  the  neck  of  another,  which  also 
dropped.  Tuolumne  likewise  fired  a  second  shot, 
but  in  doing  so,  he  incautiously  exposed  himself,  and 
the  elks,  observing  him,  broke  for  the  higher  grounds, 
and  away  they  went.  By  the  four  shots  we  killed 
two,  and  wounded  another,  which  I  pursued,  and 
finally  also  brought  to  the  ground.  Thus,  three  large 
bodies  lay  before  us,  —  more  than  our  horses  could 
carry;  and  I  was  sorry,  upon  taking  a  survey,  that 
we  had  not  brought  the  mules.  We  however  did  the 
best  we  could,  which  was  to  pack  three  quarters  of 
an  elk  upon  each  horse;  and  then  after  dragging 
the  rest  together,  and  covering  them  with  tules,  and 


TEXAN    HUNTERS.  125 

hoisting  a  flag  to  keep  off  the  wild  beasts,  we  started 
with  our  loads  towards  camp,  intending  the  next  day 
to  return  for  the  balance. 

It  was  so  late  and  dark  before  we  got  half  the  dis- 
tance to  camp,  that  we  missed  our  course,  and  for 
several  hours  stumbled  through  gullies  and  ravines, 
without  knowing  where  we  were.  We  must  have 
wandered  several  hours;  but  in  no  direction  was  there 
any  light  to  be  seen,  nor  could  we  recognize  any  land- 
marks, though  they  seemed  familiar.  At  last  we 
determined  to  fire  off  a  shot  as  a  signal;  and,  sure 
enough,  it  was  answered;  but,  upon  getting  in,  we 
found  that  Sykesey  and  Stanislaus  had  been  careless, 
and  allowed  the  fire  to  grow  low;  so  it  was  for  this 
reason  that  we  could  not  tell  our  position  in  the  dark- 
ness, approaching  from  an  unusual  direction.  It  is 
of  so  much  importance  on  such  occasions  to  have  a 
beacon,  that  there  was  no  other  way  than  to  reprove 
them  for  their  neglect,  though  of  course,  their  watch- 
ing over  the  horses  half  of  the  previous  night,  pleaded 
to  some  extent  in  their  justification. 

The  next  day  I  would  willingly  have  rested,  but  as 
Sykesey  was  not  disposed  to  go  out  after  the  elk  meat 
at  the  lake,  which  he  thought  he  could  never  find,  I 
took  the  two  boys,  the  three  horses,  and  the  two 
mules,  and  made  a  second  trip.  As  we  approached 
the  lake  valley  this  time,  a  band  of  elks  was  feeding 
on  the  plain,  and  thinking  to  procure  more  meat  as 
well  as  to  try  the  speed  of  our  horses,  Tuolumne  and 
I  gave  them  chase,  and  ran  several  miles,  when  Tuo- 
lumne managed  to  shoot  one  from  horseback,  —  which 


126  TEXAN    HUNTERS. 

was  a  very  skilful  feat.  This  was  a  fine  buck,  which 
weighed  about  six  hundred  pounds,  and  with  what  had 
been  left  the  day  before,  made  fair  loads  for  both 
horses  and  mules.  After  packing  them,  we  returned 
to  camp,  which  we  reached  in  good  season. 

We  made  the  round  of  the  traps  the  next  day, 
and  in  one  found  two  coyotes,  which  I  shot  with  my 
revolver,  considering  them  not  worth  the  bother  of 
keeping;  but  this  caused  me  regret  afterwards,  for 
they  proved  to  be  of  a  kind  none  of  us  had  ever 
before  seen,  being  large  and  finely  haired.  It  was 
however  too  late  to  help  the  matter;  and  whipping 
off  their  hides,  we  swathed  their  carcasses  in  bark, 
and  tied  them  in  a  tree.  We  did  this  because  we 
had  no  tools  to  bury  them,  and  did  not  wish  them 
lying  about  near  the  traps,  as  they  might  have 
prevented  other  animals  from  entering.  As  we  were 
returning  to  camp,  towards  dusk,  we  observed  four 
or  five  grizzly  bears.  We  tied  our  mules,  and  as- 
cended a  hill  to  view  the  valley,  which  intervened 
between  us;  but  finding  we  could  not  reach  them 
except  by  making  a  large  circuit,  we  determined  for 
once  to  pass  on.  I  was  loth  to  lose  any  chance  for 
my  favorite  game,  but  allowed  myself  to  be  over- 
ruled, and  we  proceeded  to  camp. 

During  this  day,  Sykesey  had  been  busy  at  camp, 
jerking  up  the  bountiful  supply  of  elk  meat  so  as  to 
dry  it;  and  in  the  evening,  upon  my  return  from  the 
traps,  he  told  me  a  story  which  it  was  a  little  difficult 
at  first  to  credit.  He  said,  that  in  cutting  up  the 
heart  of  one  of  the  elks,  he  had  found  the  stone-tip 


TEXAN    HUNTERS.  127 

of  an  Indian  arrow  imbedded  in  its  substance;  making 
it  appear  that  the  weapon  had  been  shot,  and  bi'oken 
off  some  time  before,  and  that  the  wound  had  after- 
wards healed,  surrounding  the  stone  with  matter  which 
was  hard  and  callous.  He  had  kept  the  heart,  and 
now  showed  it  to  me;  and,  sure  enough,  there  it  was, 
with  the  stone  imbedded.  Without  this  positive  proof, 
it  would  have  been  hard  to  make  me  believe  that  any 
animal  could  have  lived  with  such  a  stone  in  its  heart; 
but  two  years  afterwards  I  killed  a  deer  in  Corral 
Hollow  in  California,  and  found  a  small  bullet  in  its 
heart,  incased  in  very  much  the  same  manner  as  this 
stone  was.  So,  from  these  two  instances,  it  is  certain 
that  animals  will  sometimes  live  and  get  well,  with 
wounded  hearts. 

The  next  day,  which  was  the  fifth  after  our  visit 
to  Kimball's  camp,  he  and  his  friends  were  to  make 
us  a  visit;  and  therefore  we  remained  at  home,  expect- 
ing them.  It  was  not  long  before  they  hove  in  sight, 
each  on  his  own  horse;  seeing  which,  I  directed 
Stanislaus  to  stir  up  what  flour  we  had,  and  bake 
bread,  as  a  token  of  our  most  hospitable  welcome. 
At  dinner,  they  appreciated  the  delicacy,  and  we  sat 
and  talked  over  our  old  travels  and  adventures  all  the 
afternoon,  and  until  bedtime.  When  I  came  to  speak 
of  the  lake,  and  the  elks,  the  Texans  wished  to  go 
there  with  us,  and  it  was  soon  agreed  that  we  should 
all  hunt  in  that  direction  the  next  day. 


128  ELK    HUNTING. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ELK    HUNTING. 

Third  Visit  to  Elk  Lake.  The  Habits  of  Elks.  Plan  of  Attack.  Sweeping 
through  the  Tules.  Rush  of  the  Elks.  TheResult  of  our  Attack.  Night 
on  the  Lake  Shore.  Slaughter  of  Elks  on  the  Plain.  Return  to  Camp. 
Reminder  of  Old  Boston  Market.  Conversation  and  Contract  with 
Kimball  and  his  Comrades.  Wild-Cats.  Wolves.  An  Attack  by 
Wolves.  More  Trap  Building.  My  Experience  of  Horseback  Shoot- 
ing. A  Grizzly  in  the  Trail.  Tuolumne's  Proposition.  Confidence 
among  Hunters.  Self-Condemnation.  My  Address  to  the  Company. 
My  Authority.    The  best  of  Sanctions. 

The  lake  appeared  still  more  beautiful  and  roman- 
tic upon  the  third  visit  than  it  had  upon  either  the 
first  or  second.  The  landscape  about  it  was  com- 
posed of  hills  covered  with  trees,  and  plains  rolling 
in  green  luxuriance.  On  one  side,  in  the  low  marshy 
ground  skirting  the  water,  was  a  heavy  growth  of 
tules,  several  miles  in  length  and  a  half  mile  in  width; 
and  it  was  among  these  that  bands  of  elks,  in  the  dry 
season,  loved  to  congregate.  It  is  a  habit  of  elks,  as 
of  many  other  wild  ruminants,  to  graze  in  the  open 
plains  principally  in  the  evening,  at  night,  and  in  the 
morning.  During  the  warmer  portions  of  the  day, 
they  retire  to  shady  thickets  like  deer;  or,  if  there 
are  tules  in  the  neighborhood,  these  they  seem  to 
prefer,  and  among  them  they  stand  almost  up  to  the 
knees  in  mud  and  water,  stamping  about  to  keep  cool 


ELK    HUNTING.  129 

and  drive  off  the  tormenting  flies  until  evening,  when 
they  again  sally  forth  into  the  plains. 

As  we  approached  the  lake,  several  hours  before 
sunset,  we  rode  down  to  a  small  wooded  stream  near 
its  shore;  where,  hitching  our  horses,  saddled  as  they 
were,  we  made  preparations  for  an  immediate  hunt. 
That  we  would  find  game  in  the  tules  at  that  time,  I 
was  well  satisfied,  and,  therefore,  directed  the  party 
to  spread  out  and  make  a  clean  sweep  through  the 
rushes,  so  as  to  assure  ourselves  of  starting  any  that 
might  be  there. 

Accordingly,  we  spread  out  and  began  beating 
through  the  tules;  when,  presently,  we  heard  the 
whistle  of  a  buck  in  front.  Upon  this  warning,  we 
advanced  more  cautiously;  and,  in  a  few  hundred 
yards  further,  we  heard  the  whistle  again,  and  knew, 
by  the  distinctness  of  the  sound,  that  there  was  a 
band  of  elks  not  far  off.  We  soon  came  in  sight  of 
them,  and  I  directed  each  man  to  single  out  one,  and 
all  fire  as  nearly  at  once  as  possible;  then  each  to 
reload  and  remain  comparatively  motionless  till  an- 
other opportunity  occurred,  and  then  all  fire  again. 
In  accordance  with  these  directions,  we  acted  in  con- 
cert. At  the  first  fire,  the  elks  were  astounded,  and 
kept  tramping  around  till  we  reloaded  and  fired  a 
second  shot,  when  they  took  the  alarm  and  started 
off.  There  was  a  great  rushing  through  the  tules, 
which  sounded  as  if  there  were  a  hundred  elks;  but 
the  tules  were  too  high  to  enable  us  to  see  the 
actual  number. 

We  had  anticipated  a  considerable  slaughter;  but. 


130  ELK    HUNTING. 

upon  going  up  to  the  spot,  found  that  the  band  had 
left  only  three  of  its  number  behind.  This  we  all 
thought  very  strange,  and  followed  the  trail  several 
hundred  yards,  in  the  expectation  of  finding  wounded 
ones;  but  not  another  elk,  or  even  a  sprinkle  of 
blood,  was  to  be  seen;  and,  being  thus  satisfied  that 
all  the  wounded  had  fallen,  we  returned  and  dressed 
the  three  bodies.  We  then  endeavored  to  bring  the 
horses  to  where  they  lay;  but  the  ground  was  so  soft 
that  it  was  impossible  to  do  so,  and  thereupon  we  cut 
poles  in  a  thicket  near  the  lake,  and,  slinging  a  quar- 
ter elk  on  each,  carried  them  out  on  our  shoulders  to 
firmer  grovmd,  where  they  were  packed  on  the  horses 
and  borne  to  where  we  had  stopped,  in  the  timber,  on 
the  banks  of  the  creek.  As  usual,  we  hauled  the 
meat  up  into  trees;  all  but  a  choice  piece,  of  which 
we  made  our  evening  meal.  A  rousing  fire  was 
built,  and  we  devoured  a  hearty  supper  of  elk  meat, 
all  enjoying  it  to  a  great  degree;  and  then,  drawing 
forth  our  pipes  and  smoking,  we  listened  to  the  shrill 
piping  of  the  frogs  in  the  low  grounds  and  the  occa- 
sional hoot  of  the  owl;  or  told  stories  of  hunting  and 
adventure,  till  the  sinking  flames  of  our  fire  warned 
us  to  replenish  it  and  retire. 

We  were  afoot  the  next  morning  again  with  the 
dawn,  wishing  to  kill  game  enough  to  load  all  our 
horses;  but  we  had  to  go  several  miles  from  the  lake 
before  coming  up  with  the  elks,  which,  at  this  time, 
were  grazing  on  the  plains.  We  found  them  in  an 
excellent  situation  to  be  surrounded;  and,  as  there 
was  a  very  good  number  in  our  party  to  accomplish 


ELK    HUNTING.  131 

this  manoeuvre,  I  sent  Tuolumne  and  a  Texan  around 
behind  them,  while  the  rest  of  us  spread  apart,  and 
all  advanced.  The  elks,  seeing  riders  upon  every 
side,  became  bewildered,  and  stood  staring  wildly 
about,  giving  us  a  chance  to  shoot  them  down  as  we 
pleased.  There  were  about  twenty  of  them,  and  we 
might,  perhaps,  have  killed  half;  but,  after  the  first 
fire,  which  brought  down  three,  we  stopped  and 
allowed  the  rest  to  escape,  knowing  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  carry  away  more;  nor,  indeed,  could 
we  carry  all  the  six  we  had,  for  each,  when  dressed, 
made  a  good  load  for  a  horse.  The  hides  and  one 
of  the  bodies  we  left  hanging  in  the  trees,  intending 
to  return  for  them  at  another  time;  and  then,  each 
leading  a  loaded  horse,  we  returned  on  foot  to  our 
camp,  which  we  reached  about  sundown,  having  been 
absent  two  days. 

Upon  unpacking,  we  heaped  the  meat  against  the 
butt  of  a  tree,  and  the  pile,  together  with  that  which 
hung  in  the  branches  around,  reminded  me  of  a  place 
familiar  to  my  eyes  in  old  times,  —  that  is  to  say,  the 
old  Boston  market;  but  there  was  a  wide  differemce 
between  the  strict  old  city  and  the  wild  scenery  here. 
As  it  grew  dark,  wolves  and  coyotes  began  howling 
and  yelping  on  every  side,  and  we  soon  found  that  the 
meat  would  have  to  be  watched  all  night.  After 
supper,  accordingly,  sending  a  Texan  and  one  of  the 
boys  to  keep  guard  over  the  horses,  Kimball  and  I 
took  our  places  by  the  meat.  We  soon  got  into  con- 
versation, and,  in  the  course  of  the  evening,  he  told 
me  that  when  he  was  at  Portland,  in  Oregon,  there 


132  ELK    HUNTING. 

was  a  vessel  lying  there,  bound  for  Boston,  which 
would  sail  in  the  latter  part  of  September.  Upon 
learning  this,  a  thought  struck  me  which  had  not 
entered  my  head  before;  this  was,  to  take  my  animals 
to  Portland  and  make  a  shipment  of  them  by  this 
vessel  from  there,  instead  of  from  California,  as  at 
first  intended.  I  spoke  to  Kimball  of  this,  and  pro- 
posed that  he  and  his  companions  should  hunt  with 
me,  catch  all  we  could,  procure  all  the  peltry  and 
bear-oil  possible,  and  ship  them.  He  immediately 
replied,  that,  as  for  himself,  he  was  perfectly  willing 
to  hunt  a  month  for  me,  as  he  owed  me  more  than  a 
month's  work  at  any  rate.  I  answered,  that  it  was 
nonsense  to  talk  in  such  a  manner,  for  he  owed  me 
nothing;  but  if  he  and  his  party  would  remain  and 
aid  me  to  get  the  shipment  off,  I  would  pay  them 
what  was  reasonable.  After  talking  the  matter  over 
by  themselves,  Kimball  and  his  companions  deter- 
mined to  remain  and  have  a  glorious  hunt  for  a 
month;  and,  at  the  end  of  that  period,  we  were  all 
to  set  out  together  for  Portland. 

Early  the  next  morning,  accordingly,  the  Texans 
started  off  after  their  effects;  Sykesey  and  Tuolumne 
at  the  same  time  went  off  with  a  horse  and  the  two 
mules  for  the  elk  and  elk  hides  left  at  the  lake,  and 
I  to  make  the  rounds  of  the  traps.  In  one  of  them 
I  found  a  wild-cat,  but  had  to  leave  it  till  next  day, 
when  Tuolumne  and  I  went  out  and  made  a  sugar- 
pine  cage,  in  which  we  packed  it  on  one  of  our  mules. 
On  our  way  to  camp,  this  second  day,  I  made  an 
excellent  shot  at  a  gray  fox,  which  was  eating  a  bird 


ELK    HUNTING.  133 

on  a  hill-side  quite  a  hundred  yards  distant;  and 
Tuolumne  also  shot  a  wild-cat  out  of  a  tree.  We 
packed  the  skins  of  both;  and  going  on  till  we  came 
near  camp,  we  met  two  wolves  on  the  run,  which  we 
shot  at,  but  missed.  Afterwards  we  learned  from 
Sykesey  and  Stanislaus,  who  had  remained  cutting 
up  the  meat,  that  two  wolves  had  been  prowling  about 
camp  nearly  all  day;  and,  as  it  was  probable  that  they 
would  be  back  in  the  night,  I  made  arrangements  to 
give  them  a  couple  of  ounces  of  lead  to  fill  their  hun- 
gry bellies. 

The  Texans,  meanwhile,  had  arrived;  and  during 
the  evening  we  laid  our  plans  for  the  month,  resolving 
to  build  two  more  traps,  and  agreeing  to  divide  into 
two  parties,  each  to  build  one.  After  thus  arranging 
our  plans,  we  took  our  places  near  the  meat  that  still 
remained  unjerked,  in  expectation  of  a  visit  from  the 
wolves,  which  kept  up  a  great  howling  at  a  distance. 
A  short  time  after  midnight,  a  large  pack  burst  upon 
us  with  a  terrific  howl;  but,  there  being  no  light  ex- 
cept what  was  shed  by  the  stars,  we  could  not  see 
them  distinctly,  and  were  compelled,  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  a  fire,  to  allow  them  to  approach  the  meat, 
which  they  soon  attacked  with  ravenous  ferocity. 
There  were  so  many  that  they  seemed  like  an  army; 
but,  after  three  of  us  had  fired  into  their  midst,  and 
they  put  off,  there  was  only  one  left  killed.  They  must 
have  been  very  hungry,  for  these  were  the  first 
wolves  that  ever  dared  to  come  into  camp;  and  the 
great  quantity  of  meat  there,  which  they  snuff(>d 
afar  ofi",  must  have  proved  too  great  a  temptation 
for  the  exercise  of  prudence. 


134  ELK   HUNTING. 

The  next  morning  we  separated  into  parties,  the 
Texans  going  in  one  direction,  and  my  party  in  an- 
other, and  commenced  our  new  traps,  at  which  we 
worked  steadily  two  days;  by  which  time  we  had 
completed  ours,  though  the  Texans  were  not  done 
with  theirs.  While  they  went  out  on  the  third  day 
to  finish,  Tuolumne  and  I  started  upon  an  excursion 
for  fresh  meat.  We  rode  four  or  five  miles;  when, 
coming  upon  three  deer,  I  fired  from  horseback,  —  this 
being  my  first  attempt  of  the  kind  from  the  horse  I 
now  rode.  The  flash,  or  the  report  of  the  rifle,  so 
frightened  the  horse,  that  he  suddenly  sprang  from 
under  me,  and  I  fell  flat  upon  the  ground;  but,  jump- 
ing up  and  brushing  the  dust  out  of  my  eyes,  I  found 
myself  but  little  hurt,  and  soon  commenced  looking 
for  the  deer.  As  was  to  have  been  expected,  how- 
ever, they  had  fled  unharmed.  Proceeding  further, 
we  perceived  a  few  antelopes  grazing  in  a  valley. 
Tuolumne  made  a  circuit,  and  fired  at  them,  but 
missed;  seeing  which,  I  gallo])ed  forward,  and,  run- 
ning them  into  a  ravine,  made  a  second  attempt  at 
firing  from  horseback.  The  horse  was  by  no  means 
vicious,  and  I  had  learned  from  the  fall  before  how 
to  accommodate  my  centre  of  gravity  to  his  motions; 
so  that  this  shot  was  successful,  and  brought  down  an 
antelope,  the  flesh  of  which  afterwards  served  to  bait 
both  the  old  and  the  new  traps,  —  the  one  built  by  the 
Texans  being  finished  just  as  we  arrived  at  it  in  the 
evening. 

When  the  baiting  was  finished,  we  all,  five  in  num- 
ber, mounted  our  horses,  and,  in  great  good  spirits, 


ELK   HUNTING.  135 

started  for  camp;  but,  on  our  way,  we  suddenly  heard 
a  bear  snort;  and  the  horses  pricked  up  their  ears, 
and  pranced  in  alarm.  I  stopped  and  looked  around 
in  every  direction,  and  at  last  espied  the  bear  in  a 
bunch  of  bushes  only  twenty  yards  oflf.  It  was  by 
this  time  too  dark  to  procure  correct  aim,  but,  giving 
directions  that  all  should  fire  at  once,  I  blazed  away; 
and  Kimball  and  Tuolumne  did  the  same,  but  at  ran- 
dom, not  seeing  the  bear,  which  gave  a  snort,  and 
away  he  went,  probably  untouched.  The  Texans 
were  anxious  to  pursue;  but  I  repUed,  No,  it  was  too 
dark,  and  there  was  too  much  brush  in  that  direc- 
tion. They  rejoined  that  they  were  very  anxious  to 
kill  a  bear;  to  which  I  answered,  that  they  should  only 
wait  a  few  days,  and  I  would  take  them  to  a  part  of 
the  country  where  they  could  have  their  fill  of  bear 
killing. 

As  we  proceeded  thence  very  leisurely  to  camp, 
Tuolumne  proposed  that  we  should  frighten  Stanislaus 
by  pretending  to  be  Indians;  but  this  I  would  by  no 
means  listen  to.  I  said  that  it  was  not  right  to  de- 
ceive a  messmate,  nor  good  policy;  for  it  would  de- 
stroy all  that  feeling  of  confidence  which  ought  to 
exist  between  hunters.  It  is  true,  I  had  deceived 
Tuolumne  once  by  pretending  to  be  a  bear,  but  he 
deserved  reproving;  still  the  plan  was  not  justifiable, 
as  I  am  willing  to  confess.  It  would  have  been 
greatly  wrong  to  have  done  anything  of  the  kind 
on  this  occasion;  for  Stanislaus  during  the  day  had 
been  working  diligently  at  the  meat,  and  had  it  all 
jerked  and  hung  up.     That  which  was  already  dry 


136  ELK    HUNTING. 

he  had  packed  in  sacks,  made  for  the  purpose,  of 
antelope  skins  sewed  together  with  thongs. 

Having  thus  finished  our  traps  and  all  the  work 
before  us,  we  discussed  plans  for  the  next  day  as  we 
sat  about  the  nightfire.  I  addressed  the  company, 
and  said  that  we  must  now  be  industrious,  and  collect 
all  the  animals,  hides,  oil,  and  meat  we  could,  for 
we  had  but  a  month  to  remain.  The  others  replied 
that  they  were  willing  to  do  their  best,  but  that  I 
should  act  as  chief,  to  direct  the  labor  and  point  out 
the  hunting-grounds.  This  position,  as  it  naturally 
belonged  to  me,  I  willingly  accepted;  and  I  imme- 
diately directed  that,  in  a  few  days,  a  party  of  us 
should  proceed  to  a  valley  about  forty  miles  to  the 
east,  where  there  was  said  to  be  plenty  of  buffaloes, 
and  have  a  grand  buffalo  hunt  before  leaving  the 
country.  This  speech  met  with  great  favor,  and 
confirmed  my  authority  with  that  best  of  sanctions,  — 
general  and  willing  consent. 


ADAMS   AND  THE   BUFFALO. 


MISHAPS.  137 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MISHAPS. 

Our  Hunting  in  General.  Plan  of  Narration.  Laying  in  Supplies 
of  Provisions.  Elk  Hunt.  Description  of  Washington  Valley. 
Musings.  Slaughter  of  Buffaloes.  A  bold  Coyote  pays  for  his 
Temerity.  More  Bufifaloes  killed.  Buffaloes  in  a  Marsh.  Head- 
long Career  of  Buffaloes.  Misadventure  of  Foster.  Foster's 
Wounds  and  Cure.  Another  Buffalo  Hunt.  Buffaloes  mired. 
A  dangerous  Combat  with  a  Buffalo.  My  Peril  and  Escape. 
Packing  to  Camp.  Our  Comrades'  Success  at  Trapping.  Griz- 
zlies in  Camp.  Foster's  Zeal.  Attack  on  the  Bears.  Foster's 
Peril.  My  Instructions.  Foster's  Death.  Conduct  of  the 
Bears.  Slaying  of  them.  Attack  upon  Tuolumne.  Burial  of 
Foster.     His   Grave.     Our   Feeling.s. 

The  hunting  of  the  next  month,  the  number  and 
character  of  the  animals  captured,  and  the  quantities 
of  skins  and  provisions  gathered  together  were  as- 
tonishing. Every  variety  of  animal  which  the  coun- 
try afforded  fell  in  our  way;  our  traps,  during  the 
entire  time,  brought  us  profit;  our  stores  of  curiosities 
increased  with  a  remarkable  rapidity;  and  indeed  the 
most  sanguine  expectations  could  hardly  have  ex- 
ceeded the  good  fortune  which  attended  all  our  efforts. 
So  numerous  were  our  prizes,  and  so  crowded  and 
varied  the  incidents  of  this  month,  that  a  detailed 
narrative  of  them  would  only  perplex  the  story;  I 
propose,  therefore,  to  group  the  adventures  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  avoid  the  confusion  of  too  great  a  mul- 
tiplicity of  minutiae. 

As   the   time   for  our  departure  from  the  country 


138  MISHAPS. 

was  fixed,  we  had  constantly  before  our  minds  the 
necessity  of  laying  in  a  large  supply  of  dry  meat,  for 
the  sustenance  not  only  of  ourselves  but  also  of  our 
animals  upon  the  march  to  Portland.  We  looked  for 
these  supplies  principally  to  the  bands  of  elks  which 
grazed  about  the  lake,  and  to  the  buffaloes  which 
roamed  over  the  plains  to  the  east;  and  a  large  por- 
tion of  our  time  was  therefore  devoted  to  hunting  in 
those  regions.  The  day  after  finishing  the  last  trap, 
four  of  us  proceeded  to  the  lake,  and,  driving  a  band 
of  elks  into  the  tules,  we  dismounted,  and,  pursuing 
upon  foot,  killed  three  fine  ones,  which  we  packed 
home  the  same  evening. 

On  the  second  day,  in  accordance  with  previous  ar- 
rangement, Kimball,  Foster,  Tuolumne,  and  I  started 
on  a  buffalo  hunt,  and  took  with  us  the  six  horses 
and  two  mules.  We  road  hard  all  day,  and  arrived 
at  the  border  of  the  valley,  spoken  of  by  the  Indians, 
about  sundown.  We  camped  under  the  trees,  in  a 
ravine  among  the  hills,  from  which  we  could  look 
doAvn  over  the  plains  below,  and  see  the  grassy  undu- 
lations rolling  gently  away  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach.  It  was  a  beautiful  spot,  destined  some  day  to 
present  as  splendid  a  domestic  picture  as  now  a  wild 
one;  and,  as  my  eyes  dwelt  delighted  upon  it,  I  could 
not  help  thinking  of  a  time  when  millions  of  stock 
shall  cro})  the  herbage  there,  and  the  now  wild  land- 
scape be  studded  with  the  farms  and  villages  of  a 
numberless  and  thriving  population.  This  will  only 
be,  thought  I,  when  these  old  bones  of  mine  shall 
have  crumbled  into  dust,  and  when  the  memory  of 


MISHAPS.  139 

the  present  inhabitants  shall  be  preserved  only  in 
old  stories.  Such  were  my  thoughts  as  I  lay  in  my 
blankets,  with  my  rifle  by  my  side;  and,  when  sleep 
came,  with  its  fantasies,  my  imagination  enlarged 
upon  these  musings  of  the  evening,  and  presented  a 
scene  such  as  is  familiar  in  the  agricultural  valleys  in 
the  east,  but  will  not  be,  here,  perhaps  for  many 
years. 

We  were  up  in  the  morning  before  the  sun;  and, 
looking  down  upon  the  plains,  we  beheld  eight  or  ten 
dark  objects  moving  slowly  about  at  a  distance,  which 
were  at  once  recognized  as  buffaloes.  We  mounted 
our  horses  and  road  towards  them.  Upon  approach- 
ing, supposing  the  others  to  be  in  their  proper  places, 
I  fired,  and  brought  one  of  the  animals  to  his  knees 
by  a  ball  in  his  shoulder;  and  the  next  moment  a  shot 
by  a  comrade  brought  another  to  the  ground;  but 
the  surround  had  not  been  complete,  and  the  rest  of 
the  band  soon  broke  away  and  escaped  us.  The  two 
which  were  killed,  however,  furnished  work  for  the 
day,  as  the  meat  had  not  only  to  be  carried  to  our 
rendezvous,  but  also  cut  into  strips  and  hung  upon 
the  drying-poles,  and  the  hides  to  be  spread  with 
saltpetre  and  other  articles  for  preservation.  In  the 
evening,  again,  we  mounted  our  horses,  and,  taking 
the  direction  in  which  the  band  had  escaped,  came 
upon  them  at  a  distance  of  six  or  eight  miles,  near  a 
creek,  the  banks  of  which  were  beautifully  timbered. 
They  were  grazing  on  the  further  side.  We  dis- 
mounted, and,  tying  our  horses,  got  into  the  worn,  but 
now  almost  dry,  channel  of  the  stream,  and  without 


140  MISHAPS. 

difficulty  crept  upon  and  killed  three  mighty  bulls  at 
first  shots.  Thus,  in  one  day,  we  secured  five  buf- 
faloes. 

This  large  quantity  of  fresh  meat,  as  was  to  have 
been  expected,  attracted  many  prowlers;  and,  during 
the  whole  night,  the  screams  of  panthers,  wolves,  and 
coyotes,  were  heard  all  around.  By  dint  of  close 
watching,  however,  we  worked  through  the  night,  and 
preserved  our  meat  intact,  with  the  exception  of  one 
quarter,  which  was  seized  by  a  bold  coyote;  but  the 
thief  paid  dearly  for  his  temerity,  for  I  gave  him  such 
a  lick  with  a  club  as  broke  his  back.  In  the  morning 
we  found  him  endeavoring  to  drag  his  paralyzed  hind 
parts  off  the  field,  but  soon  put  a  period  to  his  thiev- 
ing existence. 

The  second  day  we  also  made  a  morning  and  an 
evening  hunt,  and  killed  three  buffaloes,  five  deer, 
and  four  foxes.  The  skins  of  all  we  preserved,  and 
the  meat  of  all,  save  the  foxes.  Again,  the  next  after- 
noon, we  started  out  for  buffaloes,  and  soon  came  upon 
a  large  band.  They  ran  towards  a  timbered  marsh, 
into  which  we  followed,  and  killed  three,  which  we 
packed  to  our  stopping-place  in  the  ravine. 

This  marsh  was  an  excellent  place  to  kill  these 
unwieldy  animals;  for,  once  in  it,  they  mired,  and  fell 
almost  as  easy  a  prey  as  when,  on  the  upper  waters 
of  the  Missouri,  an  unlucky  band  becomes  entangled 
in  a  deep  snow-drift,  and  the  Blackfoot  warriors  are  in 
need  of  meat.  The  next  day,  again  on  the  hunt,  we 
attempted  to  drive  a  band  into  the  same  marsh;  but 
the  animals,  probably  aware  of  their  danger,  broke 


MISHAPS.  141 

off  sidewisc,  and  thundered  along  towards  a  part  of 
our  semicircle  which  was  guarded  by  Foster.  This 
unfortunate  man  had  always  been  anxious  to  distin- 
guish himself,  but  yet  knew  little  of  that  prudence 
and  caution  which  characterize  the  true  hunter,  and, 
as  the  band  approached,  rashly  threw  himself  in  front, 
and  was  overthrown.  Buffaloes  rarely  turn  aside 
from  their  direction,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
head  them  off  when  in  full  course.  I  have  known 
them  run  against  trees  which  stood  in  their  way;  and 
more  than  once,  upon  the  great  plains,  have  they 
been  known  to  run  over  men,  horses,  and  sometimes 
over  emigrant  teams.  Nor  did  poor  Foster  fare  bet- 
ter; for  he  and  his  horse  were  not  only  overthrown, 
but  the  band  passed  over  them.  Buffaloes  either 
carry  their  heads  too  low  to  see  well,  or  their  momen- 
tum becomes  unmanageable,  or  they  rush  purposely 
upon  obstructions,  or  —  and  this  is  the  most  probable 
explanation  of  their  conduct  —  all  three  of  these  rea- 
sons combine  to  drive  them  headlong  forward. 

Upon  rushing  to  Foster's  assistance,  we  found  him 
badly  hurt,  though  not  seriously.  I  recommended 
the  water-cure,  which  had  availed  so  well  in  my  own 
case  when  bitten  by  the  wolf;  and,  as  his  injuries  con- 
sisted of  bruises  principally  upon  the  back,  we  tore  a 
blanket  into  strips,  and  wound  them,  dripping  with 
cold  water,  about  his  body,  from  the  armpits  to  the 
hips;  and  in  a  few  days,  such  was  the  virtue  of  the 
remedy,  he  was  able  to  accompany  us  upon  the  hunt 
again. 

The  same  afternoon,  leaving  Foster  at  the  ravine, 


142  MISHAPS, 

Kimball,  Tuolumne,  and  I  pursued  a  small  band  of 
buffaloes  for  a  long  distance;  but  at  last  they  began 
to  labor,  and  their  tongues  hung  out  almost  as  long  as 
a  man's  arm.  Encouraged  by  this  sign  of  fatigue, 
we  struck  our  heels  into  our  horses'  sides,  and  yelled 
and  hallooed,  as  jockeys  do  by  way  of  incitement, 
and  finally  overtook  them.  As  we  passed,  I  wheeled 
and  fired  at  the  forehead  of  one;  but  the  ball  glanced 
off,  without  penetrating.  The  suddenness  of  the  ac- 
tion, however,  or  the  flash  of  the  gun,  amazed  the 
band  for  a  moment;  and,  in  this  nick  of  time,  my 
comrades  wounded  two,  which  we  soon  killed.  We 
packed  the  bodies  to  the  ravine,  as  before,  and  the 
next  day  devoted  ourselves  to  jerking  meat  and 
curing  hides. 

On  the  fifth  day  of  the  hunt  I  had  one  of  those 
dangerous  adventures  into  which  too  great  a  confi- 
dence in  one's  own  powers  sometimes  betrays  a  per- 
son. We  had  risen  early,  and  soon  discovered  a  large 
band  of  buffaloes,  and  gave  chase.  We  pursued  sev- 
eral miles,  till  they  came  to  a  precipitous  bank  of 
a  creek,  down  which  they  plunged  fifteen  feet,  and 
crossed  over  into  the  marsh  that  extended  for  miles 
beyond.  Seeing  them  fairly  in  the  mud,  we  sought 
low  places  in  the  bank,  and  rode  after  them;  but,  as 
the  soil  grew  less  and  less  firm,  we  soon  dismounted, 
and  pursued  on  foot.  The  animals  plunged  deeper 
and  deeper,  and,  being  hampered  with  their  great 
bodies,  completely  mired;  so  that  we  easily  reached 
them,  and  in  a  few  minutes  slaughtered  four. 

There  was  one  lying  in  the  mud  a  little  further 


MISHAPS.  143 

distant,  and,  as  my  rifle  was  discharged,  I  resolved 
to  kill  him  with  my  bowie-knife.  I  was  actuated 
in  this,  I  confess,  by  a  foolish  desire  of  exhibiting 
my  bravery,  and  approached  without  sufficient  cau- 
tion; for,  upon  getting  close  with  my  knife  drawn 
ready  to  plunge  into  his  neck,  he  suddenly  made  a 
mighty  effort,  lunged  against  me,  and  laid  me  sprawl- 
ing before  him.  He  then,  with  his  crooked  horns, 
butted  against  my  prostrate  form,  and  pressed  me 
deeply  into  the  mire;  so  that  I  was  in  great  danger 
of  being  drowned.  The  mud  was  soft  and  yielding, 
and  my  body  sank  deeply;  but  this  turned  out  to  be 
a  fortunate  circumstance;  for,  had  the  ground  been 
harder,  I  should  certainly  have  been  ground  to  pieces. 
While  thus  going  down  into  what  threatened  to  be  my 
grave,  Kimball  ran  up,  and,  just  as  I  was  disappear- 
ing, sent  a  ball  into  the  bull's  body,  which  made  him 
throw  up  his  head.  In  this  moment,  I  sprang  to 
my  feet,  with  the  knife  still  in  my  hand,  and  stabbed 
the  beast  to  the  heart,  and  he  soon  expired.  Foster 
and  Tuolumne  meanwhile  killed  two  more,  —  thus 
making  six,  in  all,  for  this  day. 

During  the  next  two  days  we  spent  most  of  the 
time  in  drying  the  meat  and  curing  the  hides  of  the 
last  killed  buffaloes.  One  more  hunt,  indeed,  we  took, 
and  killed  three  animals,  but  preserved  only  the  skins. 
The  next,  or  eighth  day  of  the  hunt,  we  prepared  for 
our  journey  to  head-quarters  by  placing  all  the  dried 
meat  in  sacks,  which  we  made,  as  usual,  of  deer  and 
antelope  skins  and  bark.  There  being  six  horses 
and  two  mules,  we  filled  sixteen  sacks,  two  for  each 


144  MISHAPS. 

animal;  and  the  next  morning,  having  pacl<ed  them, 
and  distributed  the  skins,  —  consisting  of  twenty  buf- 
falo, six  or  eight  deer,  ten  antelope,  and  twelve  or 
sixteen  valuable  fox  skins,  —  among  the  loads,  we 
started  for  camp.  Much  dried  meat  we  of  course 
left  behind;  but  there  was  no  other  way,  it  being 
impracticable  at  that  time  to  remove  it. 

Upon  getting  back  to  camp  we  found  that  our 
comrades  had  succeeded  well  in  hunting  and  trap- 
ping, having  taken  two  black  bear  cubs,  three  black 
wolves,  and  a  large  grizzly  bear,  the  latter  of  which 
they  had  killed.  They  had  also  killed  eighteen  deer, 
six  antelopes,  four  gray  foxes,  and  three  raccoons;  the 
skins  of  which  they  had  preserved,  as  also  the  meat 
of  the  deer  and  antelopes.  That  evening  we  sat 
about  our  camp  fire  and  narrated  our  adventures,  as 
usual;  but  when  I  came  to  tell  of  the  bufi'alo  fight  in 
the  mud,  it  exceeded  in  interest  all  the  other  stories 
which  were  told.  During  the  next  two  days  we 
caught  another  huge  grizzly  bear,  which  we  killed 
and  skinned,  and  three  black  foxes.  We  also  killed, 
upon  the  hunt,  five  antelopes  and  five  gray  and  black 
foxes,  which  were  so  wild  that  we  had  to  shoot  them 
upon  the  run;  also  several  silver-gray  foxes,  which 
are  the  most  valuable  of  the  species  for  their  mag- 
nificent fur. 

The  next  day  we  all  made  another  visit  to  the 
lake;  and,  in  the  evening,  killed  three  elks,  which  wc 
hung  in  the  trees,  and  then  camped.  In  the  course 
of  the  night  we  were  awakened  by  a  grizzly  bear, 
which  approached;  but,   upon   my  jumping  up  and 


MISHAPS.  145 

firing,  the  animal  made  oflF  with  a  tremendous  growl. 
This  adventure  excited  the  whole  camp,  and  particu- 
larly Foster,  who  was  of  a  chivalrous  and  impulsive 
character,  and  wished  to  go  after  the  beast,  even  in 
the  darkness.  Such  madness  I  would,  by  no  means, 
allow;  but,  in  the  morning,  we  had  hardly  started 
upon  the  hunt,  when  we  came  upon  a  large  grizzly 
with  two  large  cubs.  She  was  probably  the  visitor 
of  the  previous  night;  and  Foster  w^as  almost  beside 
himself  for  a  shot.  I  cautioned  him  to  go  around 
with  the  rest  of  us  to  a  wooded  knoll  beyond  the  ani- 
mals; but  he  thought  he  could  kill  a  bear  as  easily 
as  a  buck,  and  determined  to  advance  from  where 
he  was. 

Seeing  that  he  was  bent  upon  his  self-willed  resolu- 
tion, we  exacted  only  a  promise  that  he  would  not 
fire  until  we  reached  the  knoll;  but,  before  getting 
upon  the  top  of  it,  we  were  startled  by  the  report  of 
his  rifle,  and,  at  the  same  time,  one  of  those  terrific 
roars  which  the  grizzly  makes  when  it  rushes  for  a 
man.  I  knew,  in  an  instant,  there  was  danger,  and 
sprang  forward;  but  only  in  time  to  witness  poor 
Foster's  death.  He  had  wounded  the  brute,  and 
then  ran  for  a  tree;  but,  before  he  could  climb  out 
of  reach,  the  bear  seized  his  feet  in  her  mouth,  and 
dragged  him  to  the  ground. 

Time  and  again  had  I  cautioned  Foster,  as  also  the 
others  of  my  comrades,  if  ever  they  fell  in  the  power 
of  a  grizzly  bear,  to  lie  perfectly  still  and  show  no 
signs  of  life,  however  severely  scratched  and  bitten 
they  might  be.     This  is  a  simple  but  valuable  rule, 


146  MISHAPS. 

for  it  seems  that  no  variety  of  the  animal  will  wreak 
its  vengeance  upon  a  body  which  shows  no  indica- 
tions of  vitality;  a  trait  which  appears  to  have  been 
known  in  the  remotest  times,  for  the  old  fabulist 
founded  one  of  his  stories  upon  it.  I  myself  have 
tried  the  efficacy  of  feigning  death;  and  there  have 
been  cases  where  a  bear  would  leave  a  pretended 
dead  man  perfectly  unharmed,  but  return  and  exhibit 
the  greatest  fury  upon  his  attempt  to  move.  It  is 
therefore  no  more  than  prudence,  in  such  cases,  to 
remain  perfectly  passive  and  quiet  until  the  animal 
is  beyond  sight  and  hearing.  But  poor  Foster,  in 
his  extremity,  forgot  these  injunctions,  and  not  only 
shrieked  for  help  but  struggled  to  get  away.  I  im- 
mediately drew  my  knife  and  rushed  towards  him, 
with  the  object  of  attracting  the  brute's  attention; 
but,  before  I  could  approach,  the  bear,  with  one 
tearing  grasp,  ripped  through  his  breast,  and  drew 
out  the  heart,  liver,  stomach,  and  intestines,  —  pre- 
senting to  my  gaze  one  of  the  most  awful  sights  that 
ever  my  eyes  beheld. 

The  bear  pawed  and  snuffed  at  the  poor  man's 
entrails,  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  joined  by  her 
cubs,  wdiich  no  sooner  smelt  the  blood  than  they  be- 
came almost  frantic  with  fury.  I  was  much  agitated, 
but  ran  to  a  tree,  and,  taking  as  deliberate  an  aim  as 
was  possible  under  the  circumstances,  pierced  the  old 
bear  behind  the  shoulder.  She  fell,  but  in  a  few 
moments  got  up  and  tried  to  rush  towards  me;  when 
a  second  shot,  at  the  butt  of  the  car,  penetrated  her 
brain,   and   put   an   end   to   her  existence.     I   again 


MISHAPS.  147 

reloaded;  and  Kimball,  Partridge,  Sykesey,  and  Tuo- 
lumne coming  up,  we  all  fired  together  upon  the  cubs, 
one  of  which  fell;  but  the  second,  though  wounded, 
showed  fight,  and,  being  a  year  and  a  half  old,  made 
an  assailant  which  could  not  be  despised.  As  our 
rifles  were  discharged,  we  threw  them  aside  and 
awaited  the  attack  with  our  knives.  The  beast  came 
up,  nothing  daunted,  and  made  his  first  pass  at  Tuo- 
lumne, whom  he  struck  to  the  ground.  We  leaped 
forward  at  this,  and  Kimball  and  I,  at  the  same  time, 
from  opposite  sides,  plunged  our  knives  into  the  bear's 
vitals,  so  that  he  soon  expired.  Tuolumne  was  con- 
siderably bitten  and  scratched,  but  not  seriously  in- 
jured; and  we  turned  our  attention  directly  to  our 
deceased  companion. 

Having  neither  pickaxe  nor  shovel  at  the  lake,  we 
despatched  Partridge  and  Sykesey  to  head-quarters 
for  them.  The  rest  of  us  then  laid  out  the  remains 
as  decently  as  we  could,  and  began  our  watch  over 
them,  which,  as  the  tools  did  not  arrive  till  the  next 
evening,  lasted  two  days  and  two  nights.  On  the 
third  morning,  we  dug  a  grave  four  or  five  feet  deep 
under  an  oak-tree;  but,  before  consigning  the  body 
to  its  final  resting-place,  I  requested  Kimball  to  make 
a  prayer  to  that  Great  Being  whose  presence  per- 
vades the  wilderness  as  well  as  temples  built  with 
hands;  and  he  made  an  untutored  appeal,  praying 
Heaven  to  witness  the  last  sad  rites  due  the  dead,  —  to 
which  I  fervently  replied.  Amen.  We  then  lowered 
the  body,  which  was  wrapped  in  a  blanket;  and, 
placing  sticks  over  it,  threw  in  leaves,  and  then  earth, 


148  MISHAPS. 

which  we  heaped  up  into  a  small  mound.  Two 
smoothed  pieces  of  wood  were  placed,  one  at  the  head 
and  the  other  at  the  foot  of  the  grave;  and,  upon 
the  side  of  the  tree  immediately  above,  we  carved  the 
name  of  William  Foster,  and  the  date  and  manner  of 
his  death. 

Having  thus  done  all  in  our  power  for  our  deceased 
comrade,  we  gathered  our  tools  and  started  for  camp. 
It  was  a  solemn  hour  that  we  thus  had  to  leave  one 
of  our  companions  behind;  and  deep  and  lasting  was 
the  impression  it  made  upon  us.  Poor  Foster!  He 
was  an  unfortunate  but  brave-hearted  and  willing- 
handed  man,  and  we  had  all  begun  to  love  him.  May 
he  rest  peacefully  in  the  lonely  grave  to  which  our 
rough  but  friendly  hands  consigned  him! 


IN   THE   CHAPARRAL   AGAIN.  149 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

IN   THE    CHAPARRAL   AGAIN. 

Our  Trapping.  Elm-bark  Gloves.  Favorite  Places  of  Animal 
Resort.  Discovery  of  an  Attack  upon  four  Grizzlies.  The  Result 
of  our  Attack.  Our  Bivouac.  The  bloody  Trail.  Frowning 
down  a  Mutiny.  Progress  through  the  Chaparral.  Discovery 
of  the  second  Bear.  I  surprise  my  Companions.  Further  Prog- 
ress through  the  Chaparral.  Slaying  of  the  last  two  Bears.  A 
Grizzly  in  the  wild  Oats.  The  Bear  between  two  Fires.  Kim- 
ball in  a  Tree.  Slaying  of  the  Bear.  Conduct  of  Kimball.  The 
Cubs.  Plan  for  capturing  the  Cubs.  Capture  of  the  Cubs. 
Visit  to  Kennasket.  His  Idea  of  Bargains.  A  great  Bargain. 
Preparations  for  Travel.  Appearance  of  our  Camp.  Arrival  of 
Indians  and  Horses.     Breaking  up  of  Camp. 

Our  hunting  in  Washington  lasted  a  few  weeks 
longer,  and,  during  this  time,  we  had  severable  notable 
adventures;  but  for  several  days  after  the  death  and 
burial  of  Foster,  inspired  with  the  solemn  feelings 
which  that  sad  event  occasioned,  we  had  little  heart 
to  hunt,  and  busied  ourselves  about  camp,  overhauling 
our  dried  meats,  curing  our  peltries,  and  attending 
the  traps,  which  continued  to  yield  prize  after  prize. 
We  entrapped,  in  succession,  from  this  period  till  our 
final  departure  from  the  country,  two  black  foxes;  two 
black  bear  cubs;  a  white  wolf,  the  first  of  the  kind  we 
had  ever  caught;  two  small  animals  called  fishers, 
which  occupy  a  position  in  natural  history  between 
the  raccoon  and  the  mink;  a  brown  bear  and  cub; 
two  panthers,  an  old  and  young  one;  a  large  grizzly, 
which  we  killed  in  the  trap;  a  black  wolf;  two  other 


150  IN    THE    CHAPARRAL    AGAIN. 

fishers;  two  other  black  foxes;  another  black  wolf; 
and  another  white  wolf,  apparently  the  mate  of  the 
one  caught  previously.  All  the  larger  animals  thus 
caught  we  took  to  our  camp  with  lassos;  the  smaller 
ones,  including  the  panther,  we  caged,  and  packed  in 
upon  our  mules.  During  the  same  time  we  killed 
many  deer,  antelopes  and  foxes,  and  also  caught  a 
number  of  fawns. 

In  caging  the  bear  cubs  last  mentioned,  Kimball 
and  I  wrapped  the  lower  part  of  our  arms  up  to  the 
elbows  with  bark,  and,  while  our  comrades  hoisted 
the  trap-door  for  a  moment,  we  entered,  seized  the 
captives,  bound  them,  and,  without  difficulty  or  scratch, 
placed  them  in  the  cage. 

Whenever  we  wished  to  hunt  a  particular  species 
of  animal,  we  knew  where  it  would  most  likely  be 
found;  as  various  animals  prefer  particular  kinds  of 
country.  Buffaloes  love  grassy  plains;  elks,  moist 
ground;  panthers,  heavy  timber;  and  so  on  with 
other  animals.  A  rugged  and  brushy  part  of  the 
country  was  prolific  in  foxes;  and  another,  a  dry, 
airy  plain,  was  a  favorite  place  for  antelopes;  but  all 
these  animals  roamed  in  different  directions,  and  upon 
some  expeditions  we  would  meet  with  almost  every 
variety  in  the  same  quarter.  Our  camp  was,  so 
to  speak,  a  centre,  where  different  ranges  of  ani- 
mals merged  into  each  other.  In  one  direction  was 
a  hilly  country,  sparsely  timbered,  but  covered  with 
dense  chaparral,  and  this  was  the  bear  ground.  It 
was  here  that  my  other  principal  adventures  in  Wash- 
ington occurred. 


IN   THE   CHAPARKAL   AGAIN.  151 

On  the  fifth  day  after  Foster's  burial,  we  proceeded 
to  the  bear  ground,  and  reached  it  towards  evening. 
We  soon  descried  four  bears,  two  old  ones  and  two 
nearly  full-grown,  digging  on  a  hill-side,  and  close 
together.  I  turned  to  Kimball  and  Partridge,  and 
exacted  a  promise  that  they  would  follow  my  injunc- 
tions implicitly,  which  they  agreed  to  do;  and  I  then 
gave  the  necessary  instructions,  directing  all  to  get 
upon  the  hill  above  the  bears,  fire  upon  them,  and,  if 
pursued,  each  man  take  an  oblique  direction,  around 
and  up  the  hill,  —  such  as  the  bear  finds  it  difficult 
to  follow,  —  and,  if  necessary,  climb  one  of  the  trees 
which  here  and  there  stood  upon  the  eminence.  All 
acted  according  to  this  plan;  and  upon  the  first  fire 
both  the  young  bears  were  wounded.  The  old  ones, 
however,  immediately  observed  and  rushed  towards 
us,  when  I  directed  the  whole  party  to  climb;  and 
we  were  soon  seated  in  the  boughs  of  trees. 

Full-grown  grizzly  bears  rarely  climb,  and  rarely 
attempt  to  do  so;  but,  sometimes,  if  they  see  the 
object  of  their  pursuit  climbing,  they  will  attempt  to 
follow.  In  this  case  we  had  time  to  locate  ourselves 
before  the  bears  approached;  and,  upon  coming  up, 
they  merely  ran  from  tree  to  tree,  looking  at  us,  and 
growling,  but  without  attempting  to  climb.  As  we 
had  carried  up  our  rifles,  I  soon  reloaded,  and  fired 
at  the  old  female,  which  was  under  my  tree;  and  at 
the  same  time  Kimball  fired  at  the  old  male,  which 
was  under  his;  when  both,  badly  wounded,  made  a 
tremendous  howling,  and  went  off  together  towards 
their  cubs.     We  immediately  reloaded,  and,  following, 


152  IN   THE   CHAPARRAL   AGAIN. 

found  them  making  a  great  ado  about  one  of  the  cubs, 
which  lay  dead;  but  the  other  cub  was  nowhere  to  be 
seen.  We  crept  as  near  as  we  safely  could,  and 
fired  another  volley;  but,  owing  either  to  our  excite- 
ment, to  the  growing  darkness,  or  to  the  distance  at 
which  we  fired,  our  shots  had  apparently  no  effect, 
except  that  the  old  bears,  leaving  the  dead  cub, 
escaped  into  a  thicket  of  chaparral.  We  pursued 
a  short  distance,  tracking  them  by  frequent  blood- 
stains; but,  finding  the  chaparral  very  thick,  we  re- 
solved to  wait  until  morning,  and  took  up  our  night- 
quarters  where  we  were. 

There  was  a  moon  for  several  hours  that  night,  and 
we  kept  a  strict  watch,  expecting  the  old  bears  to 
return;  but  they  came  not,  nor  gave  any  signs  of 
their  whereabouts.  From  this  circumstance,  as  well 
as  from  the  quantities  of  blood  staining  the  trail,  I 
concluded  that  they  had  been  badly  wounded,  and 
determined  to  penetrate  the  thicket  after  them;  but 
my  comrades,  when  I  announced  my  determination, 
regarded  it  as  madness,  and  demurred.  I  placed  the 
butt  of  my  rifle  on  the  ground,  and  asked,  "Gentle- 
men, was  it  bears  you  came  out  to  hunt?"  They 
said  it  was.  "Well  then,"  said  I,  "I  am  astonished 
to  see  you  falter.  We  have  lost  a  companion,  it  is 
true;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  bears  cannot  be 
hunted  with  safety.  Here  we  have  several  fine  ones 
wounded,  and,  without  a  doubt,  disabled;  and  we  can 
find  them  without  much  search.  It  is  safer  and 
easier  to  follow  these  than  to  hunt  up  others;  and 
besides,  it  is  cowardly  to  falter  at  this  stage  of  the 


IN   THE   CHAPARRAL   AGAIN.  153 

business."  These  reasons  seemed  to  have  weight; 
and  my  comrades  replied  that  they  were  ready  to 
follow.  Accordingly  we  crawled  in  under  the  inter- 
laced thicket,  and  followed  the  bloody  trail. 

We  proceeded  four  or  five  hundred  yards,  and 
came  to  the  bed  of  a  creek,  dry  at  that  season  of 
the  year,  with  banks  four  or  five  feet  high,  all  densely 
overgrown  with  chaparral.  We  halted  there,  and 
held  counsel  for  a  few  moments;  and  then  proceeded 
on,  down  the  bed  of  the  creek,  as  the  trail  led  us. 
In  the  course  of  a  few  hundred  yards  further,  I  dis- 
covered the  old  she  bear  lying  on  her  side,  and  knew 
from  her  position  that  she  was  dead.  Being  several 
yards  in  advance  of  the  company,  I  hastily  jumped 
upon  the  body,  and,  placing  myself  in  an  attitude  as 
if  holding  her  down,  shouted  for  my  comrades,  who 
were  just  coming  around  a  bend  in  the  creek;  and, 
seeing  me  in  that  position,  they  started  back;  but  I 
soon  showed  them  there  was  no  danger,  and  we  all 
had  a  hearty  laugh.  Upon  examining  the  body,  we 
found  that  it  was  shot  through  the  head,  heart,  and 
bowels;  and  that  several  balls  had  struck  her  in  the 
sides,  but  had  not  gone  through  the  fat. 

After  a  further  consultation,  we  determined  to  pro- 
ceed, and  followed  the  trail  a  long  distance  further 
down  the  creek.  There  was  now  not  so  much  blood; 
but  we  could  see  the  tracks  of  bears  in  the  sand,  and 
occasionally  a  few  red  stains.  I  think  we  proceeded 
as  much  as  a  mile  from  where  the  body  of  the  female 
lay,  when  we  discovered  a  den,  and  the  two  remain- 
ing bears  lying  in  it;  and,  judging  from  their  posi- 


154  IN   THE   CHAPARRAL   AGAIN. 

tion,  I  knew  that  both  of  them  were  alive.  With- 
out the  loss  of  a  moment,  I  directed  my  comrades  to 
stand  ready  to  fire;  and  myself  creeping  to  a  bush 
within  ten  yards  of  the  den,  laying  off  my  cap,  and 
steadying  my  nerves,  I  raised  my  rifle,  and,  aiming  at 
the  old  bear's  breast,  sent  a  ball  through  his  heart. 
He  lay  with  his  head  upon  his  paws,  but,  upon  the 
fire,  he  rolled  over,  uttered  a  growl,  and  died.  The 
cub,  at  the  same  time,  tried  to  rise,  but  had  been  too 
badly  wounded  the  previous  evening,  and  my  com- 
rades soon  finished  him.  After  cutting  up,  we  packed 
the  skins  of  all  four  bears,  and  the  meat  of  the  last 
two,  and  proceeded  to  camp. 

In  a  few  days  after  these  adventures,  we  proceeded 
to  the  bear  ground  again;  and,  towards  evening,  came 
to  a  small  valley  covered  with  wild  oats,  where  we 
discovered  three  bears,  an  old  female  and  two  small 
cubs.  I  climbed  a  tree  to  reconnoitre;  and,  observ- 
ing their  positions,  directed  my  comrades  to  make 
circuits,  while  I  would  proceed  directly  forward,  and 
he  who  should  have  the  best  opportunity  was  to  fire 
first.  After  waiting  long  enough  for  them  to  pass 
around,  I  advanced,  and  was  crawling  up  among  the 
oats,  when  suddenly  I  heard  the  report  of  one  of 
their  guns.  I  rose  at  once,  and,  looking  over  the 
tops  of  the  oats,  saw  the  old  bear  running  towards 
Sykesey,  who  was  reloading.  I  cried  out  to  him  to 
climb  a  tree;  but  immediately  Kimball  fired  from  the 
other  side,  and  the  old  bear,  being  struck  in  the  but- 
tock, suddenly  turned  around,  and,  seeing  the  new 
assailant,  rushed  at  him.     Kimball  was  a  considerable 


IN   THE   CHAPARRAL   AGAIN.  155 

distance  from  any  tree;  and,  fearing  that  he  would  be 
in  danger,  I  rushed  forward  to  his  assistance;  but  he 
managed  to  reach  and  cHmb  an  oak,  and  I  popped 
behind  a  bush  before  the  bear  saw  me. 

In  his  haste,  Kimball  had  dropped  his  rifle,  and, 
having  no  weapons  but  his  pistol  and  knife,  could 
scarcely  have  contended  against  the  furious  beast,  if 
she  should  have  reached  him.  I  saw  that  she  was 
about  to  climb,  and  therefore  fired;  but  my  shot, 
which  struck  her  in  the  neck,  only  served  to  enrage; 
and  while  I  hastily  reloaded,  not  having  observed  me, 
she  made  a  leap  at  the  tree,  and  clasped  it.  Kimball 
fired  his  revolver,  charge  after  charge,  at  her,  but 
without  apparent  effect;  and  up  she  went,  while  he 
climbed  out  towards  the  extremity  of  a  limb.  Seeing 
that  he  was  badly  frightened,  I  shouted  to  him  to 
have  courage,  and  ply  his  knife  like  a  man,  if  she 
reached  him;  and  at  the  same  time,  rushing  up  with 
my  rifle  and  getting  nearly  under  her  as  she  was 
climbing,  I  planted  a  ball  under  her  fore  leg.  She 
rolled  over  on  the  limb,  and  in  a  few  moments,  fell 
heavily  to  the  ground,  which  she  no  sooner  reached 
than  I  sprang  upon  her,  and  plunged  my  knife  to  her 
heart  several  times. 

i^s  soon  as  she  was  dead,  I  looked  up  for  Kimball, 
and  ft/und  that  he  had  gone  into  the  very  top  of  the 
tree.  I  hinted  that  he  would  have  shown  a  properer 
spirit  had  he  come  down  instead  of  gone  up,  so  as 
to  have  assisted  me  if  it  had  been  necessary;  but 
he  excused  himself  on  the  plea  that  he  thought  only 
of  his  own  safety,  and  did  not  know  that  I  was  in 


156  IN   THE   CHAPARRAL   AGAIN. 

danger.  We  had  barely  got  done  talking  about  this 
matter,  when  Sykesey,  who  had  also  consulted  his 
own  safety  more  than  my  danger,  came  up;  and  we 
then  consulted  as  to  the  best  mode  of  securing  the 
cubs,  which  were  running  about  yelping  and  bawl- 
ing. They  had  annoyed  me  considerably  by  flying 
at  my  legs,  while  approaching  the  old  bear;  but  I  had 
kicked  them  off,  knowing  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  secure  them  while  the  dam  lived. 

By  this  time  it  was  dusk;  but,  as  there  was  a  good 
moon,  we  proceeded  to  cut  a  large  number  of  poles 
and  green  boughs,  and  built  a  brush  house  around  and 
over  the  body  of  the  dead  bear,  leaving  only  a  door 
for  the  cubs  to  enter.  We  then  retired  a  short  dis- 
tance, and,  lying  down,  watched  the  motions  of  the 
cubs;  but  it  was  several  hours  before  they  approached 
the  corral.  When  they  did  so,  they  hopped  upon  the 
brush,  and  then  off  again,  and  smelt  around,  as  if 
very  suspicious,  for  a  considerable  time.  Finally, 
however,  one  of  them  ventured  in,  and  was  soon  fol- 
lowed by  the  other;  both  vainly  expecting  to  find 
there  that  protection,  which,  had  their  mother  been 
alive,  she  would  have  afforded  to  the  last  drop  of  her 
blood. 

The  cubs  being  thus  both  encaged,  I  sprang  to  the 
door  of  the  corral,  and,  seizing  one  by  the  tuft  of 
the  head,  held,  while  my  comrades  tied  him.  With 
the  other,  however,  we  had  more  trouble;  he  was  the 
stronger  and  more  savage  of  the  two,  and  retired  to 
the  farthest  corner,  so  that  I  had  to  creep  in  after 
him.     The  place  was  only  a  few  feet  high,  and  six  or 


IN   THE    CHAPARRAL   AGAIN.  157 

eight  feet  in  diameter,  and  very  dark.  At  first  I 
could  only  hear  him  growling;  but  presently  could 
see  his  eyes  glisten.  As  I  got  quite  close,  he  flew 
at  my  face  and  eyes;  but,  being  ready  for  this,  I 
seized  and  secured  him,  with  but  a  few  unimportant 
scratches,  which  made  me  quite  bloody,  it  is  true,  but 
did  no  serious  injury.  Thus  we  added  two  more  fine 
specimens  to  our  stock  of  living  wild  animals.  In 
the  morning,  we  packed  the  meat  and  hide  of  the 
old  bear,  and  carried  our  prizes  to  camp. 

The  time  that  we  had  appointed  to  leave  for  Port- 
land now  approached;  and,  setting  apart  a  day,  I 
went  down  to  the  Indian  village  for  the  purpose  of 
engaging  the  necessary  horses  and  men  to  aid  me 
in  the  conveyance  of  my  animals.  I  explained  my 
wants  to  Kennasket,  and  said  that  my  business  was 
to  make  a  great  bargain;  but  at  the  word  "bargain" 
he  smiled  in  a  significant  manner,  and  held  out  his 
arm,  which  was  bandaged  from  wrist  to  elbow.  What 
this  meant  I  did  not  understand;  but  he  soon  told 
me  that  one  of  the  black  bears  which  he  had  pur- 
chased of  me  had  bitten  him  badly.  "White  man," 
said  he,  "very  good;  but  white  man's  bargains  — 
very  bad!"  I  replied  that  if  the  bears  were  so  bad, 
I  would  buy  them  back.  He  asked  whether  I  would 
return  the  horses,  but  I  took  care  to  change  the 
subject  of  conversation  as  quickly  as  possible;  and, 
after  an  extended  circumlocution,  we  came  to  busi- 
ness, which  was  the  hiring  of  thirty  horses  and  six 
Indians,  to  go  to  Portland,  which  was  nearly  three 
hundred  miles  distant.     Kennasket  did  not    like    to 


158  IN   THE    CHAPARRAL   AGAIN. 

trust  the  horses  among  the  pale  faces  of  Portland, 
but  he  finally  consented;  and  we  agreed  that  I  was  to 
have  the  horses  and  men  at  the  rate  of  two  sacks  of 
dried  meat  for  every  horse,  and  six  fawns  and  one 
young  elk  for  the  men.  Saddles  and  trappings  for 
the  horses  I  was  to  find  at  my  own  expense. 

The  next  day,  we  made  a  last  expedition  to  the 
buffalo  valley,  to  procure  as  much  meat  as  possible, 
for  the  purpose  of  defraying  our  indebtedness  to  the 
Indians;  and,  in  a  hunt  of  several  days,  killed  seven 
buffaloes,  six  antelopes,  and  four  or  five  foxes,  which 
we  packed  in.  The  succeeding  three  days,  we  busied 
ourselves  arranging  for  our  journey.  We  made  sad- 
dles of  boughs  fastened  together  with  wooden  pins 
and  a  few  nails,  and  covered  with  elk-skin;  also 
girths  and  straps,  as  many  as  were  needed.  We  also 
prepared  and  arranged  the  packs,  marking  and  num- 
bering them;  so  that  our  camp,  in  a  short  time, 
resembled  a  sort  of  bazaar,  where  the  packages  of  a 
caravan  are  displayed. 

As  soon  as  all  was  ready,  we  sent  to  the  village  all 
the  meat,  fawns,  and  the  young  elk,  which  constituted 
the  payment  for  horses  and  men;  and  the  same  day 
six  Indians  arrived  with  thirty  horses,  making  our 
party  now  consist  of  twelve  persons,  thirty-six  horses 
and  two  mules,  in  addition  to  the  wild  animals,  which 
formed  quite  a  menagerie.  The  next  morning,  we 
arose  early,  packed  our  horses,  and  collected  our 
animals;  but  there  was  much  besides  to  be  attended 
to,  and  it  was,  therefore,  not  until  nearly  noon  that 
we  finally  broke  up  camp  and  got  under  way.     All 


IN    THE    CHAPARRAL   AGAIN.  159 

our  animals  which  could  not  be  driven  or  led,  we 
packed  in  boxes  upon  our  horses  or  mules;  also  the 
skins,  dried  meat,  tools,  and  in  fact  everything  worth 
taking;  and  a  strange  looking  cavalcade  it  was,  as 
we  moved  off  in  column. 


160  OUR   CARAVAN. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

OUR   CARAVAN. 

Feelings  on  leaving  my  Summer  Head-quarters.  My  Duties.  Fare- 
well Visit  to  Kennasket.  A  Present  to  him.  Delays.  The  Com- 
position of  our  Caravan.  Order  of  Procession.  Kennasket's 
Blessing.  Our  Start.  Little  Rock.  My  Caution.  Our  Prog- 
ress. Horses  sore.  Yellow  Rock.  Consternation.  Wild  Horses. 
The  Philosophy  of  Stampedes.  Interview  with  Indians.  Reach 
the  Upper  Columbia.  Testing  the  River's  Character.  A  Fish 
Supper.  Our  Raft.  Loading.  A  Guide-rope  of  Lariats.  I  be- 
come Captain  of  a  Water-craft.  Ferrying  over.  Trouble  on  the 
Raft.  Breakage  of  the  Rope.  Adrift.  The  Indians.  Swim- 
ming the  Horses.  Progress.  The  Trail  lost.  Fruitless  Search 
for  the  Trail. 

It  produces  a  feeling  of  melancholy  in  the  mind  to 
leave  forever  a  spot  where  much  pleasure  has  been 
experienced,  and  about  which  cling  many  delightful 
associations.  For  this  reason,  notwithstanding  the 
rudeness  of  our  accommodations,  the  wildness  of  the 
country,  and  the  character  of  wanderers  which  we 
had  assumed,  it  was  not  without  regret  that  we  looked 
for  the  last  time  upon  the  noble  trees,  the  rocks,  the 
green  lawns,  and  the  beautiful,  clear  spring  of  our 
sojourning-place  in  Washington.  But,  in  my  mind, 
the  feeling  of  regret  was  soon  superseded  by  that 
of  care  for  my  caravan,  to  see  that  every  member 
fulfilled  his  duty.  This,  in  a  short  time,  withdrew 
my  attention  from  the  retrospect;  and,  after  a  sin- 
gle backward  glance,  I  left  the  place,  looking  only 
forward    to    the    requirements    of   the    journey,    and 


OUR  CARAVAN.  161 

the  many  exigencies  which  would  necessarily  arise 
upon  it. 

We  proceeded  in  good  style  and  comfort  the  first 
day  as  far  as  the  residence  of  Kennasket,  where  we 
unpacked,  and  encamped  overnight.  During  the 
evening  I  made  the  chief  a  farewell  visit;  and  he  and 
I  talked  a  long  time  upon  various  subjects  of  mutual 
interest,  and,  among  others,  about  the  bears  which  I 
had  sold  him.  He  evidently  wished  to  be  rid  of 
them;  and,  after  some  bargaining,  I  purchased  them 
back  for  six  sacks  of  dried  meat  and  four  wolf  skins. 
He  asked  about  the  puppy  he  had  given  me,  and 
when  I  replied  that  it  was  in  my  caravan,  he  seemed 
much  gratified,  regarding  my  care  of  the  whelp  as  a 
compliment  to  himself.  After  some  further  conversa- 
tion, he  asked  what  I  was  going  to  present  him  as  a 
remembrancer  of  the  great  White  Hunter.  I  replied 
that  I  had  only  wild  beasts,  but  if  he  would  accept 
one  of  them  he  should  be  welcome.  He  answered 
that  he  would  like  a  white  wolf;  and  I  gave  him 
one. 

The  next  day,  we  again  got  ready  to  start;  but, 
even  after  we  were  drawn  up  in  column,  there  were 
many  little  matters  with  the  chief  and  with  other 
Indians  to  be  arranged,  and  delay  after  delay  took  up 
much  time.  Besides,  there  were  difficulties  in  put- 
ting the  caravan  in  motion;  for  of  all  heterogeneous 
compositions,  it  was  one  of  the  most  curious.  It  was, 
indeed,  a  strange  assemblage.  In  the  first  place, 
there  were  five  horses  packed  with  buffalo  robes,  of 
which   we   had   about   thirty-five;   next,   four  horses 


162  OUR   CARAVAN. 

packed  with  bear  skins,  and  several  large  bear  skulls; 
then,  two  packed  with  deer  skins;  two  with  antelope 
skins;  one  with  fox  and  other  small  skins;  seven 
with  dried  meat  for  the  use  of  the  animals  on  the 
journey,  and,  in  part,  on  their  intended  voyage; 
one  with  boxes  containing  the  young  bear  cubs  last 
caught;  two  with  boxes  containing  wolves,  untamed; 
a  mule  with  foxes  and  fishers  in  baskets;  and  a 
mule  with  tools,  blankets,  and  camp  luggage.  Al- 
most all  the  horses,  besides  the  seven  specially 
devoted  to  the  purpose,  carried  more  or  less  dried 
meat,  —  even  those  we  rode.  But  the  most  remark- 
able portion  of  the  train  consisted  of  the  animals 
which  we  drove  along  in  a  small  herd;  these  were 
six  bears,  four  wolves,  four  deer,  four  antelopes,  two 
elks,  and  the  Indian  dog. 

In  the  disposition  of  the  caravan,  two  Indians,  who 
served  as  guides,  rode  foremost;  next  followed  the 
packed  horses,  with  four  Indians  to  attend  and  govern 
them;  and  next  myself,  with  the  animals.  Kimball, 
Partridge,  Sykesey,  Tuolumne,  and  Stanislaus,  brought 
up  the  rear.  This  order,  however,  was  sometimes 
varied;  from  time  to  time,  Kimball  and  I  would  ride 
at  the  head  of  the  column;  but,  as  neither  of  us 
knew  much  of  the  route,  we  could  give  but  little  aid 
to  the  guides,  and  were  compelled  to  leave  much  to 
their  discretion. 

As  we  started  forward  in  the  presence  of  the 
assembled  inhabitants  of  the  Indian  village,  Kennas- 
ket  invoked  the  blessing  of  Heaven,  and  asked  the 
Great  Spirit  to  have  us  in  his  special  keeping;  and 


OUR   CARAVAN.  163 

thus,  with  the  prayers  of  the  Chief  for  its  success, 
the  little  caravan  entered  upon  its  fatiguing  journey, 
which  was  to  lead  over  mountains,  across  rivers,  and 
through  dangers  and  perils.  We  travelled  that  day 
until  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  when  the  animals 
became  weary,  and  I  thought  it  high  time  to  camp; 
but  the  guides  assured  me  that  in  half  a  league  fur- 
ther we  would  come  to  good  springs,  at  a  place  called 
Little  Rock,  where  we  soon  arrived,  having  travelled 
about  twenty  miles  during  the  day. 

At  Little  Rock,  which  was  a  ledge  of  stones  at  the 
bottom  of  a  high  hill,  whence  sprang  the  head  waters 
of  a  stream  flowing  west,  w^e  unpacked  our  horses, 
and,  arranging  the  packs  in  the  form  of  an  inclosure, 
mounted  a  guard  of  two  men,  and  prepared  to  pass 
the  night.  One,  at  least,  of  my  own  men  was  always 
on  watch,  for  it  was  not  impossible  that  the  Indians 
might  be  treacherous;  not  that  they  really  were  unre- 
liable, but,  considering  the  circumstances  and  peculiar 
dangers  of  my  situation,  there  was  much  to  make  me 
distrustful  and  anxious  at  first.  The  night,  however, 
passed  over  without  a  difficulty,  and  the  next  morning 
we  resumed  our  journey. 

We  travelled  the  next  day  until  noon;  when,  find- 
ing some  of  the  animals  foot-sore,  we  halted  until  the 
third  day  in  a  small  valley,  where  there  was  plenty  of 
grass,  though  but  little  water.  The  fourth  day  we 
proceeded,  and  travelled  till  the  middle  of  the  after- 
noon, and  then  camped  as  before.  We  should  have 
hurried  on  the  succeeding  day,  but  found  the  backs 
of  the  horses  too  much  chafed  and  swollen  to  pro- 


164  OUR   CARAVAN. 

ceed,  and  had  to  lie  over  a  few  days,  during  which 
the  sores  were  washed,  and  doctored  with  soap-root. 

We  should  have  remained  there  longer  than  we 
did,  but  the  deficiency  of  water,  and  our  exposure  to 
the  attacks  of  bears,  panthers,  wolves,  and  other 
beasts,  during  two  nights,  induced  us,  the  second 
morning,  to  proceed,  notwithstanding  the  still  sore 
and  swollen  condition  of  our  horses'  backs;  and  we 
moved  on  five  miles  further  to  Yellow  Rock,  where 
there  was  excellent  grass  and  water.  Upon  reaching 
that  spot,  we  were  all  much  delighted.  It  was  a  vale 
richly  covered  with  grass,  and  the  high  hills  about  it 
with  oak,  pine,  cedar,  and  other  forest  trees.  A  lit- 
tle stream  meandered  through  it,  exposing,  here  and 
there,  a  yellowish  colored  rock,  from  which  the  place 
received  its  name.  We  remained  three  days,  and 
provided  ourselves  with  fresh  venison  in  abundance, 
by  hunting  in  the  neighborhood. 

At  the  end  of  this  time,  leaving  Yellow  Rock  early 
in  the  morning,  we  travelled  till  afternoon,  when  we 
were  suddenly  thrown  into  consternation  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  band  of  fifteen  or  twenty  horses  rushing 
furiously  down  a  valley  in  the  hills,  and  making  a 
straight  direction  for  our  caravan.  At  first,  I  sup- 
posed them  to  be  wild  horses;  but  soon  found  that 
they  belonged  to  Indians,  w^ho  were  chasing  them. 
There  was  not  a  moment  to  be  lost;  but,  dashing  for- 
ward, swinging  my  lariat,  and  whooping  with  all  my 
might,  I  managed  to  break  the  course  of  the  band, 
turned  them  to  the  right,  and  thus,  doubtless,  pre- 
vented a  disastrous  stampede  in  my  train. 


OUR   CARAVAN.  165 

It  is  necessary  for  those  having  numbers  of  horses 
under  their  charge  to  guard  against  stampedes  with 
much  care,  particularly  in  wild  countries,  where  they 
are  most  likely  to  occur,  and  where  there  is  the  great- 
est danger  in  them.  When  horses  get  into  one  of 
these  panics,  they  frequently  ruin,  sometimes  kill 
themselves;  and  it  is  always  difficult  to  recover  them 
at  all.  An  old  horse,  which  otherwise  could  hardly 
be  whipped  along,  will  sometimes,  in  a  stampede, 
dash  off  so  furiously  as  not  to  be  possibly  overtaken. 
It  is,  indeed,  a  notable  fact,  that  the  increased 
strength  as  well  as  the  recklessness  of  great  excite- 
ment which  are  sometimes  observed  in  panics  among 
men  have  their  counterparts  among  animals.  For 
instance,  when  upon  a  crowded  ocean  steamer  the 
cry  of  fire  is  raised,  and  men  plunge  madly  into  the 
devouring  waves,  instead  of  coolly  applying  their  ener- 
gies to  extinguishing  the  flames,  in  what  do  they  show 
more  of  the  reasoning  faculties  of  mind  than  horses, 
when,  frightened  with  some  sudden  terror,  they  plunge 
over  precipices? 

Those  in  pursuit  of  the  horses  were  three  mounted 
Indians,  who  would  have  passed  on;  but,  upon  my 
beckoning,  they  stopped  and  came  up.  I  had  a  short 
conversation,  and  learned  from  them  that  there  was 
a  large  rancheria  of  Indians  about  twenty-five  miles 
ahead,  —  a  camp  on  a  large  fishing-stream.  I  also 
asked  about  the  country  and  trail  towards  Portland, 
and  gave  them  to  understand  that  my  party  was  a 
portion  of  a  great  nation  of  white  people,  and  that 
we  were  bound,  on  particular  business,  to  the  white 


166  OUR   CARAVAN. 

settlements  at  Portland  and  along  the  river.  The 
intention  was,  to  impress  them  with  the  idea  that  they 
could  not  attack  us  without  drawing  the  vengeance 
of  our  government  upon  their  heads;  but  I  added 
that  the  white  people  would  use  them  well  if  they 
allowed  us  to  pass  undisturbed.  At  the  same  time,  I 
gave  them  each  a  package  of  dried  meat  and  a  piece 
of  fresh  venison.  They  replied  that  the  red  men 
would  not  trouble  the  white  people;  and  then,  break- 
ing up  the  interview,  they  proceeded  upon  their  way 
after  the  horses,  which  by  this  time  were  far  in  the 
distance.  After  this  interruption,  we  travelled  on 
until  evening,  when  we  encamped,  and  placed  a 
strong  guard  as  a  matter  of  precaution,  knowing  the 
Indians  to  be  in  our  neighborhood;  but  nothing  oc- 
curred during  the  night  to  disturb  us. 

The  next  day  we  journeyed  on,  bearing  off  to  the 
right  so  as  to  avoid  the  rancheria.  I  should  have 
liked,  on  my  own  account,  to  visit  this  place;  but 
considered  it  better,  for  the  safety  of  my  caravan,  to 
keep  at  a  distance.  Had  we  gone  there,  and  found 
the  Indians  as  exacting  as  is  usual  wuth  them,  we 
should  have  had  to  part  with  a  large  portion  of  our 
stores.  We  therefore  passed,  and  pushed  on  through 
a  hilly  country,  densely  covered  with  oak,  pine,  cedar, 
and  other  large  trees,  until  at  last  we  descended  into 
the  valley  of  the  Upper  Columbia,  and  encamped 
upon  its  bank. 

Here  we  were  brought  to  a  stand,  to  know  how  to 
cross  the  river;  but,  as  there  was  only  one  way  to 
proceed,  I  threw  off  my  coat,  and,  taking  a  long  pole. 


OUR   CARAVAN.  167 

mounted  my  horse  and  plunged  in,  for  the  purpose 
of  testing  its  character.  My  horse  was  almost  imme- 
diately beyond  his  depth,  and  commenced  swimming; 
but  I  could  touch  the  bottom  with  my  po\e  until  near 
the  middle,  where  the  water  was  very  deep.  On  the 
opposite  side,  it  became  shallower,  and  the  bottom 
sloped  regularly  to  the  bank.  After  ascertaining 
these  facts,  I  rode  up  along  the  bank  several  miles 
and  crossed  back  again;  but,  finding  no  more  favor- 
able spot  than  the  first  for  a  passage,  I  returned  to 
camp,  convinced  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  build 
a  raft. 

During  my  brief  absence,  the  boys  had  been  an- 
gling, and  caught  some  beautiful  fish  of  the  perch  spe- 
cies. They  obtained  sufficient  for  a  good  supper, 
which  we  fried  upon  flat  stones  heated  in  the  fire, 
using  bear's  oil  instead  of  butter,  —  and  a  choice 
meal  they  made.  After  supper,  we  consulted  about 
the  manner  of  our  passage  of  the  river,  and  decided 
upon  commencing  the  construction  of  a  raft  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning. 

In  the  morning,  accordingly,  we  all  went  diligently 
to  work,  and  by  night  had  our  raft  completed.  It 
consisted  of  pine  logs,  and  was  about  twenty  feet 
long  by  ten  wide.  A  floor  of  split  cedar  planks  was 
pinned  upon  it,  making,  in  all,  a  complete  raft,  capa- 
ble of  carrying  about  one  third  of  our  luggage  at  a 
trip.  We  should  have  crossed  immediately,  but,  it 
being  already  sundown,  we  determined  to  wait  until 
the  next  day. 

We  had  hitherto,  fortunately,  not  been  molested  by 


168  OUR   CARAVAN. 

the  Indians  of  the  neighborhood;  but  this  night  sev- 
eral blundered  into  camp.  We  hurried  them  off  as 
soon  as  possible,  and,  knowing  that  we  should  be 
completely  surrounded  in  the  morning,  immediately 
prepared  to  cross,  night  as  it  was.  For  this  purpose, 
leaving  the  loading  of  the  raft  to  my  comrades,  I 
took  a  number  of  lariats,  tied  to  one  another,  and, 
fastening  one  end  to  a  tree  on  the  bank,  taking  the 
coil  on  my  arm  and  mounting  my  horse,  plunged 
into  the  stream  and  crossed  to  the  opposite  bank, 
where  I  fastened  the  other  end  of  the  rope  to  another 
tree.  Having  secured  it,  I  plunged  again  into  the 
water,  and,  crossing  back,  ordered  the  passage  to 
commence. 

It  required  eight  men  to  work  the  raft,  —  some 
pulling  at  the  sweeps,  others  attending  to  the  ropes; 
after  arranging  whom,  I  placed  myself  at  the  bow, 
with  a  due  feeling  of  importance,  being,  for  the  first 
time  in  my  life,  captain  of  a  water-craft.  The  float 
was  then  shoved  off,  and  we  moved  forwards  as  gently 
as  could  be  desired, —  the  men  working  well,  speak- 
ing scarcely  a  word  on  the  passage;  and  we  landed 
on  the  opposite  side,  in  a  short  time,  with  complete 
success.  We  unloaded,  and  placed  the  luggage  on 
the  bank;  then  recrossed,  took  a  second  load,  which 
was  ferried  over  with  like  success ;  and  then  returned 
for  a  third  and  last  load,  consisting  of  the  animals 
and  the  remaining  portion  of  the  baggage. 

As  we  were  about  to  push  off  for  the  third  time, 
daylight  began  to  appear.  We  had  experienced 
great  delay   in   arranging   the   animals   on   the   raft; 


OUR   CARAVAN.  169 

and,  even  then,  it  was  a  matter  of  impossibility  to 
keep  them  quiet,  so  that  I  was  compelled  to  leave  my 
place  as  captain  of  the  craft,  and  take  a  position 
among  the  bears,  which  were  very  restive;  but  the 
more  I  endeavored  to  quiet  them,  the  worse  they 
grew.  In  the  midst  of  the  uproar,  the  raft  being 
about  two-thirds  of  the  way  across  the  river,  the 
guide-rope  broke;  and  our  craft,  being  set  adrift, 
commenced  floating  down  stream.  The  confusion 
became  almost  indescribable;  the  men  were  wild, 
and  two  of  the  animals,  Lady  Washington  and  a 
black  cub,  plunged  overboard;  but,  being  good  swim- 
mers, they  followed  the  raft.  It  was  difficult  to 
restore  order;  but  finally  the  men  took  to  the 
sweeps,  and  we  managed  to  strike  the  shore  about 
a  cjuarter  of  a  mile  below  where  the  guide-rope 
would  have  taken  us  had  it  not  broken. 

All  would  have  been  well  now,  but  the  horses  still 
remained  upon  the  opposite  side.  I  had  intended  to 
ferry  them  over  too;  but,  after  the  breaking  of  the 
rope,  this  was  impracticable;  and  there  was  no  other 
way  but  to  swim  them.  The  Indians,  meanwhile,  were 
collecting  in  large  numbers,  and,  as  delay  might  be 
dangerous,  I  jumped  into  the  stream  and  swam  over 
to  where  they  were;  and,  directing  Tuolumne  to  take 
the  lead,  I  mounted  my  horse,  and,  with  the  Indiana 
of  my  party  remaining  on  that  side  of  the  river, 
drove  the  other  horses  after  him.  We  got  them 
easily  into  the  water,  and  drove  them,  swimming, 
across,  —  all  but  two,  which,  being  unable  to  keep 
their  noses  up,  soon  strangled  and  floated  down. 


170  OUR   CARAVAN. 

We  gathered  our  animals  and  luggage  together, 
but  could  not  get  ahead  that  day,  and  accordingly 
camped;  but  the  next  morning,  early,  we  started  off, 
and  travelled  all  day.  In  the  evening,  when  it  was 
time  to  stop,  the  guides  thought  we  would  find  water 
in  a  league  or  two,  and  we  pushed  on;  but  these 
expectations  proved  to  be  entirely  delusive.  We 
travelled  several  hours  longer  without  the  least  indi- 
cations of  water,  and  finally  were  compelled  to  stop, 
almost  completely  worn  out  with  exhaustion  and 
fatigue.  To  make  the  matter  still  worse,  I  found 
that  the  guides  had  lost  the  way,  and  did  not  know 
in  what  direction  to  proceed.  Here  again  was  a 
dilemma;  for,  besides  the  want  of  water,  the  dismal 
prospect  of  a  long  and  difficult  search  for  the  trail 
caused  anything  but  pleasant  anticipations. 

The  next  morning,  early,  Kimball  and  I  started  out 
with  the  double  object  of  searching  for  water  and  for 
the  lost  trail.  I  rode  fifteen  or  twenty  miles,  without 
having  success  in  either  particular;  but  Kimball, 
though  he  could  not  find  the  trail,  managed  to  dis- 
cover water,  to  which  the  caravan  directly  moved; 
and  there  it  had  to  remain  until  we  could  find  the 
trail.  As  soon  as  we  had  refreshed  ourselves,  Kim- 
ball and  I  and  the  guides  started  out  again,  but 
were  compelled  to  return  at  nightfall,  as  unsucessful 
as  before.  I  felt  provoked  at  the  carelessness  of  the 
guides;  but,  as  the  matter  could  not  be  helped  in 
that  manner,  I  could  only  resolve  to  make  more 
strenuous  endeavors  the  next  day. 


THE   ROAD   TO    PORTLAND.  171 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    ROAD   TO    PORTLAND. 

Character  of  the  Trail.  Wood-craft.  Plan  to  find  the  Trail.  Dis- 
covery of  it.  Progress.  The  Humpback.  View  from  the  Hump- 
back. A  Night  Stampede.  Traces  of  a  Panther.  Search  for  the 
Horses.  Progress.  The  Country.  Sight  of  the  Lower  Colum- 
bia. Strike  the  Columbia.  Notable  Quarrel  with  Hall,  the  Ferry- 
man. Passage.  Down  the  River  Bank.  We  attract  great  At- 
tention. Arrival  at  Portland.  Shipment  of  the  Animals.  Their 
Attendant  and  Provision.  Final  Separation  of  our  Party.  The 
Character  of  my  Writing.  Account  of  the  Animals  shipped. 
Spread  of  Information.  Lady  Washington.  The  Journey  home- 
wards.    The  Cascade  Mountains  and  Sierra  Nevada  Foot  Hills. 

The  reader  will  better  understand  the  difficulties 
to  which  we  were  now  reduced,  when  it  is  stated  that 
the  road  we  were  travelling  was  a  trail,  used  only 
by  Indians  in  their  periodical  journeys  to  and  from 
the  fishing-grounds  of  the  Columbia.  There  was  no 
regular  road,  in  the  civilized  sense  of  the  term,  nor 
were  there  even  landmarks;  but  the  guides  were 
expected  to  know  the  way  by  the  general  appearance 
of  the  country,  the  direction  of  the  hills,  and  such 
other  signs  as  are  cognizable  in  Indian  science. 
Place  a  good  woodsman  in  an  unknown  wilderness, 
and  he  will  soon  master  it.  As  he  goes  through,  he 
notices  every  hill,  every  rock,  everything,  indeed,  of 
peculiarity,  so  as  to  know  it  on  returning,  and  be 
able  to  recognize  it  again,  even  after  a  long  period 
of  intervening  time;  and  the  same  is  to  be  expected 


172  THE   ROAD   TO    PORTLAND. 

of  Indians,  to  whom,  usually,  this  sort  of  wood-craft  is 
a  necessary  accomplishment. 

The  recovery  of  the  lost  trail,  however,  was  not  as 
easy  as  was  to  have  been  expected;  for,  though  we 
searched  several  days,  it  was  all  in  vain.  I  at  last 
determined  to  send  Kimball  and  one  of  the  guides 
back  to  the  river  to  follow  it  up  from  there,  directing 
them  to  blaze  their  way  upon  the  trees;  but,  as  for- 
tune willed,  they  struck  the  trail  at  a  distance  of 
fifteen  miles.  Their  discovery  spread  satisfaction 
throughout  camp,  and  we  all  rested  easy  that  night, 
and  the  next  morning  early  were  again  on  our  way, 
pushing  towards  the  southwest. 

The  country  became  more  and  more  wild  and 
rugged  as  we  advanced,  until  it  seemed  as  if  we 
w'ould  be  intercepted  by  a  certain  mountain,  to 
which  the  Indians  gave  the  name  of  the  Humpback. 
It  was  quite  a  mile  in  steep  ascent,  and  difficult  to 
surmount,  but  we  reached  the  top  at  last.  Looking 
from  the  elevation  over  the  country,  we  saw  that  it 
was  all  a  wilderness;  but  the  view  of  the  white  peaks 
of  the  mountains  St.  Helen's  and  Rainier  made  us 
forget  our  fatigue;  and,  after  sufficiently  enjoying 
the  prospect,  we  struck  down  through  a  rocky,  bar- 
ren, scrub-oak  country,  to  a  stream  of  water,  which 
we  followed  a  few  miles,  and  camped  in  a  grassy 
canon. 

At  this  camp,  about  midnight,  we  were  thrown  into 
great  confusion  by  the  report  of  a  stampede  among 
the  horses,  caused,  we  supposed,  by  an  attack  of 
Indians.     At  any  rate,  the  horses  had  broken  from 


THE    ROAD   TO    PORTLAND.  173 

their  pickets,  and  gone  off.  I  seized  my  rifle,  and 
ran  out  to  the  place,  but,  upon  inquiring  particularly 
of  the  guards  about  the  circumstances  of  the  stam- 
pede, concluded  that  some  wild  beast  had  disturbed 
us,  and  not  Indians.  The  next  morning,  at  dawn, 
upon  examining  the  ground,  we  were  convinced  of 
the  correctness  of  the  conclusion  by  finding  tracks 
of  a  panther,  and  also  traces  of  blood;  by  following 
which  the  distance  of  about  a  mile,  we  came  upon 
the  carcass  of  a  dead  horse,  the  neck  of  which  had 
been  gnawed.  We  were  satisfied,  on  minuter  exam- 
ination, that  a  panther  had  sprung  upon  this  horse, 
and  retained  his  hold  until  he  had  killed  him. 

From  the  finding  of  this  carcass,  we  were  able  to 
conclude  positively  that  it  was  not  Indians  that  had 
made  the  attack;  and  we  therefore  expected  to  find 
the  horses  in  some  ravine,  it  being  impossible  for 
them  to  proceed  far  alone  in  that  rough  country,  even 
in  a  stampede.  We  accordingly  divided  into  small 
parties,  and,  proceeding  in  different  directions,  soon 
discovered  and  collected  them,  losing  only  two.  Re- 
turning, we  packed  up  and  proceeded  down  the 
stream  until  night,  and  camped  again. 

The  next  day,  we  crossed  over  a  mountainous 
country,  covered  with  rocks  and  scrubby  trees,  and 
camped  at  night  in  a  comfortless  place,  where  our 
horses  suffered  from  the  want  of  water  and  grass. 
The  next  morning  early  we  were  on  our  road  again, 
and  travelled  till  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  when 
we  came  in  view  of  a  beautiful  valley,  down  which 
we  hastened,  and  camped  in  a  grassy  spot  which  pre- 


174  THE    ROAD   TO    PORTLAND. 

sented  a  welcome  contrast  to  the  rocky  and  rough 
country  we  had  passed  over  in  the  higher  lands. 
During  the  next  two  days,  we  crossed  over  hills  and 
ravines,  well  timbered,  and,  on  the  third  morning, 
came  in  sight  of  the  great  valley  of  the  lower  Colum- 
bia, which  all  hailed  with  pleasure;  and,  descending 
into  it,  we  camped,  with  good  grass  and  water. 

The  point  at  which  we  struck  the  Columbia  was 
near  the  Cascades,  a  few  miles  below  a  ferry,  to 
which,  after  a  brief  stoppage,  we  proceeded.  At  this 
place,  I  had  a  notable  quarrel  with  the  ferryman,  a 
most  unconscionable  fellow  from  Pennsylvania,  named 
Hall.  He  possessed  a  good  boat  of  hewn  timber,  but 
demanded  so  large  a  toll  that,  had  I  acceded,  the  fer- 
riage of  my  train  would  have  cost  over  a  hundred 
dollars.  I  offered  to  pay  a  reasonable  price  in  dried 
meat,  or  peltry,  or  animals;  but  he  would  not  listen 
to  any  such  thing,  though  I  had  no  money  whatever. 
I  then  endeavored  to  induce  him  to  take  one  of  my 
horses;  but  neither  would  he  do  this.  Finally,  find- 
ing I  could  do  nothing  with  him  in  the  usual  manner, 
I  gave  him  notice  that  I  was  determined  to  cross  at 
any  rate,  and,  as  he  was  not  disposed  to  do  what  was 
right  between  man  and  man,  I  would  take  his  boat  in 
spite  of  him.  He  swore  that  I  should  not;  I  per- 
sisted that  I  would.  Words  grew  loud,  and  he  started 
towards  his  cabin,  as  if  going  for  a  weapon;  but  I 
took  my  rifle  from  my  shoulder,  and  told  him  to  stop; 
and,  seeing  me  to  be  in  earnest,  he  did  so.  We  now 
had  more  hard  talk,  when  the  fellow  offered  to  ferry 
us  over  for  the  best  horse  in  the  train;  but  I  would 


THE    ROAD   TO    PORTLAND.  175 

not  allow  this.  "There,"  said  I,  "stands  a  horse 
worth  seventy-five  dollars  in  any  market;  if  you  like 
to  take  him,  good  and  well;  if  not,  it  cannot  be 
helped."  "I  suppose,"  he  replied,  "if  I  do  not 
take  him,  I  will  get  nothing?"  "I  know,"  rejoined 
I,  "that  you  will  get  nothing!"  A  little  more 
grumbling,  and  Hall  illnaturedly  prepared  his  boat, 
and  we  crossed  over  in  two  di\isions. 

From  the  ferry,  we  travelled  down  the  river  till 
evening,  when  we  camped,  and  the  next  day  pro- 
ceeded through  a  well-settled  country.  Along  the 
road  we  attracted  much  attention,  as  may  easily  be 
imagined.  The  people  who  saw  us  gazed  with  won- 
der, for  such  a  caravan  had  never  been  seen  before 
in  those  regions.  They  asked  many  questions, 
too,  about  whence  we  came,  whither  we  were  going, 
and  who  we  were;  but  we  did  not  stop  to  answer 
them.  Pushing  on,  we  arrived  towards  evening 
within  a  few  miles  of  Portland,  and  camped  in  a 
grove  of  beautiful  trees,  which  we  made  our  head- 
quarters during  our  stay  there. 

Thus  we  arrived  at  our  place  of  destination,  in  full 
time  for  the  sailing  of  the  vessel,  which  proved  to  be 
the  bark  Mary  Ann,  bound  for  Boston.  Within  a 
few  days  after  our  arrival,  I  made  all  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  the  shipment,  and  placed  all  the 
animals,  skins,  oil,  and  curiosities,  which  I  had  col- 
lected during  the  summer,  on  board,  —  all  except  my 
favorite,  Lady  Washington,  to  whom  I  was  so  at- 
tached that  I  could  not  think  of  parting  with  her. 
The  other  animals  were  placed  in  charge  of  a  compe- 


176  THE   ROAD   TO    PORTLAND. 

tent  person,  employed  to  feed  them  during  the  voy- 
age. For  their  sustenance,  meat  and  other  provision 
in  abundance  was  shipped;  and  indeed  the  salmon 
which  constituted  a  portion  of  the  cargo  of  the  vessel 
would  have  served,  and  did  afterwards  serve,  as  food 
for  most  of  them.  In  the  meantime,  I  obtained  an 
advance  on  the  credit  of  my  brother,  and  settled  with 
Sykesey,  Kimball,  and  Partridge,  and  made  presents 
to  all  the  Indians.  These  matters  being  all  attended 
to,  on  the  appointed  day  of  breaking  up,  we  sep- 
arated, and  each  party  took  a  different  direction. 
The  Indians,  with  their  horses,  started  out  on  their 
return  to  the  eastern  part  of  Washington;  Kimball 
and  Partridge  determined  to  remain  in  Oregon,  and 
Sykesey  with  them;  and  I  and  the  Indian  boys,  Tuo- 
lumne and  Stanislaus,  with  two  horses,  two  mules, 
Lady  Washington,  and  my  dog,  took  the  road  up  the 
Willamette  River,  on  our  return  to  California. 

Such  were  the  adventures  of  my  first  season's 
hunting.  I  have  endeavored  to  relate  them  truthfully 
and  plainly.  In  some  instances,  memory  may  have 
failed,  and  mistakes  have  occurred,  —  no  work  is  free 
from  faults.  But  two  things  will  be  borne  in  mind: 
first,  that  I  kept  no  notes,  and  speak  only  from  mem- 
ory; and,  secondly,  that  I  make  no  pretensions  to  do 
more  than  I  perform.  Doubtless,  the  story  might 
have  been  told  in  a  more  interesting  and  lively  man- 
ner; but,  surely,  I  have  done  my  best;  and  this  must 
suffice. 

It  may  be  here  added,  that  the  animals  shipped  at 
Portland  reached  Boston  in  due  time^  and  were  dis- 


THE   ROAD   TO    PORTLAND.  177 

posed  of  to  advantage  by  my  brother  William.  They 
were  sold  to  different  persons,  —  some  placed  in  mu- 
seums, others  carried  about  the  country, —  all  con- 
tributing more  or  less,  to  spread  a  knowledge  of  the 
natural  history  of  the  Pacific  Coast  of  the  United 
States.  As  for  Lady  Washington,  whom  I  retained, 
she  became  my  constant  companion;  and,  as  will  be 
seen  in  the  sequel  of  the  narrative,  travelled  with  me 
the  next  year  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  subse- 
quent year  to  the  Kern  River  and  Tejon  countries. 
Nothing  worthy  of  special  mention  occurred  on  the 
road  from  the  valley  of  Willamette  to  California, 
except,  perhaps,  the  passage  of  the  Mountains 
in  the  snow.  We  had  been  cautioned  against  the 
attempt;  but  the  previous  winter  in  the  Sierra  Ne- 
vada had  given  me  such  experience  of  snow  and  snow 
travelling  that  we  hastened  on,  without  heeding  the 
cautions,  and  accomplished  the  task  without  any  great 
difficulty.  Thence  we  crossed  over  to  the  Yreka 
Valley,  and  travelled  southward  along  the  foot-hills  of 
the  Sierra,  in  the  same  manner  that,  in  the  spring,  we 
had  advanced  northward. 


PAKT   SECOND 


CHAPTER  I. 


OUR   CAMP   IN   THE   SIERRA    NEVADA. 

My  old  Camping-ground.  Condition  of  my  Wigwam.  Predomi- 
nance of  the  destructive  Faculties.  Repairs.  Preparations  for 
Winter.  A  Visit  to  Howard's  Ranch.  Furlough  of  Tuolumne 
and  Stanislaus.  My  Solitude.  Occupations.  Lady  Washing- 
ton. Her  Disposition.  A  Hunt  at  Bell's  Meadows.  Experi- 
ment of  packing  the  Lady.  Conduct  of  the  Lady.  An  old 
Grizzly  entrapped.  The  Lady  and  I  on  Watch.  A  Grizzly  Dam 
and  two  Cubs  entrapped.  Disposition  of  them.  Return  of 
Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus.  Adventure  with  a  Bear  at  Straw- 
berry Ranch.  Attacked  by  Coyotes.  My  Castle.  Advance  of 
Winter.  Our  Excursions.  The  Snow.  Tuolumne's  Feet  frost- 
bitten. Treatment  of  them.  Stanislaus  and  I  overtaken  in  a 
Snow-3torm.  Our  Shelter.  Lady  Washington  my  Bedfellow. 
Snow-shoes.  Sledges.  Lady  Washington  as  a  draught  AnimaL 
Selected   Passages  of  my  Adventures. 

Upon  reaching  the  old  camping-ground  near  the 
head  waters  of  the  Tuolumne  River,  I  found  that  my 
wigwam,  in  its  untenanted  and  uncared-for  condition 
during  the  summer,  had  become  dilapidated.  Not 
that  the  elements  had  done  much  to  demolish  it;  its 
substantial  construction  would  have  successfully  re- 
sisted all  attacks  of  the  weather;  wild  beasts  would 
not  have  troubled  it,  and  the  Indians  would,  for  my 
sake,  have  respected  it;  but  my  brother  white  man, 
it  seems,  could  not  forego  his  destructive  inclinations, 
and  on  every  side  there  were  evidences  of  his  devas- 
tating visits.  The  doors,  which  I  had  made  with 
much  trouble,  were  broken  down;   the  clay  plastering 

178 


ADAMS  AND  BEN   FRANKLIN. 


OUR   CAMP   IN   THE   SIERRA   NEVADA.  179 

of  the  walls  was  peeled;  many  of  the  poles  which 
made  a  part  of  its  frame  were  displaced;  and  the 
marks  of  the  hatchet  were  to  be  seen  all  about  it. 
Just  as,  in  the  settled  world,  every  man  feels  it 
incumbent  upon  him  to  fling  a  stone  at,  or  kick  off  a 
board  from,  a  deserted  shanty,  so,  in  the  mountains, 
a  hunter  or  a  miner  can  rarely  pass  a  vacated  cabin 
without  hacking  into  it  or  pulling  apart  its  timbers. 
Curiosity,  or  a  hope  of  finding  hidden  treasure,  might, 
perhaps,  instigate  this  desolation;  but  the  more  prob- 
able cause  is  the  mere  spirit  of  wanton  destruction 
which  characterizes  a  large  class  of  men,  and  par- 
ticularly the  greatest  rovers. 

Fortunately,  my  tools  amd  all  my  small  valuable 
property,  left  in  California,  I  had  concealed  in  a 
cave;  and,  as  those  had  escaped,  there  was  but  little 
to  be  lost,  even  though  my  cabin  had  been  entirely 
destroyed.  At  any  rate,  the  labor  of  a  few  days, 
with  Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus  to  assist,  placed  things 
in  a  better  condition  than  before;  and  I  soon  found 
myself  completely  prepared  to  meet  the  winter,  which 
was  rapidly  approaching.  We  made  a  comfortable 
home  for  ourselves,  a  good  stable  for  such  of  the 
horses  or  mules  as  we  might  wish  to  keep  about  us, 
and  put  up  several  stacks  of  dried  grass  for  horse- 
feed,  when  the  mountains  should  be  buried  in  the 
deep  mantle  of  frost. 

In  a  few  days  after  thus  arranging  camp,  I  made 
a  visit  to  Howard's  Ranch,  where  I  had  left  my 
wagon;  and,  finding  that  it  had  been  well  taken  care 
of  during   my   absence,    made   a   further   agreement 


180  OUR   CAMP    IN    THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

with  Howard  to  retain  it,  and  also  to  take  charge  of 
my  mules  till  I  should  require  them  the  next  spring; 
for  I  had  already  projected  a  visit  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  wished  them  to  recruit  for  the  ser- 
vice by  an  entire  winter  of  ease  and  good  pasturage. 
Upon  this  visit,  I  passed  a  village  of  Indians,  who 
proved  to  be  the  tribe  to  which  my  boys  belonged; 
and  their  chief  wished  to  know  of  me  what  had 
become  of  them  for  so  long  a  period.  I  replied  that 
he  should  see  them  in  a  few  days;  and,  upon  getting 
back  to  camp,  I  presented  Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus 
with  new  suits  of  buckskin,  and,  giving  them  one  of 
my  horses  to  dispose  of  as  they  pleased,  started 
them  off  on  a  visit  to  their  people.  They  were  highly 
delighted  with  the  permit,  as  well  as  with  the  pres- 
ents, and  bade  me  good-bye  in  high  spirits,  promising 
to  return  before  the  spring,  and  accompany  me  upon 
any  expedition,  wherever  I  should  choose  to  lead 
them. 

When  they  had  gone,  I  was,  of  course,  again  left 
alone  in  the  mountains,  far  from  my  fellows,  far  from 
what  are  usually  considered  the  pleasures  and  com- 
forts of  society,  with  none  to  think  of  but  myself,  my 
horse,  my  bear  Lady  Washington,  and  my  little  dog, 
the  gift  of  my  friend,  the  Indian  chief,  Kennasket. 
For  a  few  days,  after  being  thus  left,  I  felt  lonely 
indeed.  It  seemed  as  if  I  had  lost  everything  in 
the  world,  and  I  knew  not  what  to  do;  but,  by 
degrees,  the  burden  of  solitude  grew  lighter,  and,  in 
the  course  of  a  week,  I  was  as  busy  and  contented  as 
during   the   solitary   months    of    the   previous   winter. 


OUR   CAMP    IN    THE    SIERRA    NEVADA.  181 

The  old  cave  in  the  rocks,  which  served  as  a  hiding- 
place  for  my  torols,  had  preserved  them  well,  and  I 
was  soon  at  work,  repairing  and  getting  traps  ready 
for  every  prize  which  chance  might  throw  in  their 
way. 

Lady  Washington  was  now  a  constant  companion 
of  all  my  Httle  excursions.  She  accompanied  me  to 
the  scenes  of  my  labors,  stayed  by  me  while  I  worked, 
and  followed  me  when  I  hunted.  The  kind  and  gen- 
tle disposition  she  had  begun  to  exhibit  in  Washington 
Territory  improved  with  time  and  care,  and  she  was 
now  as  faithful  and  devoted,  I  was  going  to  say,  as  it 
was  possible  for  any  animal  to  be;  but,  in  making  this 
assertion,  my  noble  California  grizzly,  Ben  Franklin, 
that  most  excellent  of  all  beasts,  must  be  excepted. 
But  for  Ben,  the  history  of  whose  magnanimous  traits 
of  character  will  adorn  the  following  pages,  the  Lady 
could  truly  be  pronounced  second  to  none  of  all  the 
creatures  over  which  the  Creator  appointed  man  to  be 
the  lord  and  master. 

One  day,  when  hunting  with  the  Lady  at  Bell's 
Meadows,  four  or  five  miles  from  camp,  I  killed  a  fat 
buck,  and  attempted  to  carry  it  home  upon  my  shoul- 
ders; but  soon  found  it  more  than  I  was  either  willing 
or  able  to  bear.  The  idea  here  struck  me,  of  making 
the  Lady  carry  half  of  it;  and  no  sooner  thought 
than  done.  She  had  been  taught  to  carry  small 
burdens  in  Washington,  as  has  heretofore  been  re- 
lated; but  never  before  had  her  power  been  applied 
to  a  practical  purpose.  I  accordingly  split  the  deer 
in  two  parts,  and  bound  one  upon  her  back,  —  not. 


182  OUR   CAMP    IN   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

indeed,  without  an  expectation  that  she  would  roll 
upon  and  render  it  useless;  but  it  would  still  serve 
for  her  own  food  or  bait  for  the  traps,  and  would,  con- 
sequently, not  be  a  matter  of  much  loss.  Having 
bound  the  burden  as  firmly  as  possible,  I  took  the 
remaining  meat  upon  my  shoulder,  and  with  my  rifle 
started  ahead. 

During  all  the  time  of  the  packing  the  Lady  stood 
very  still,  only  sometimes  looking  up  in  my  face  with 
an  expression  indicating  that  she  would  rather  eat 
than  carry  the  load;  but,  as  soon  as  I  started  ahead, 
she  looked  around  at  the  load  and  the  lashings,  then 
raised  first  one  paw,  and  then  the  other,  and  endeav- 
ored to  pull  them  off.  Each  time  she  did  so,  I 
exclaimed  at  her,  and  she  made  a  step  forward;  but 
presently  she  fairly  turned  around,  caught  a  portion 
of  the  pack  in  her  teeth,  and  would  have  torn  it  off 
had  I  not  picked  up  a  stout  cudgel  and  given  her 
several  raps,  on  the  receipt  of  which  she  growled,  but 
desisted.  I  then  started  ahead  rapidly,  calling  her 
along,  and  she  jumped  up  and  followed.  We  ad- 
vanced, however,  only  a  short  distance,  when  she  lay 
down  and  commenced  rolling,  trying  in  this  manner 
to  get  the  burden  off;  but  again  I  gave  her  a  few 
cuffs.  On  starting  forward  a  second  time,  she  again 
followed  a  short  distance,  then  lay  down  and  rolled 
as  before;  but  at  last,  finding  that  resistance  to  my 
authority  was  vain,  she  acquiesced  in  her  task,  and 
finally,  after  a  troublesome  and  hard  afternoon's  work, 
we  arrived  at  camp.  Such  was  the  first  packing  of 
the  Lady,  who  afterwards,  on  more  than  one  occasion, 


OUR   CAMP    IN    THE   SIERRA    NEVADA.  183 

bore  my  camp  equipage  and  other  heavy  burdens  with 
willingness,  and  even  alacrity. 

In  a  few  days  after  this,  I  entrapped  a  large 
grizzly,  which  was  so  violent  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  watch  to  prevent  his  breaking  out  of  the 
structure.  On  this  occasion,  for  the  first  time,  I 
packed  the  Lady  with  my  blankets;  and  she  carried 
them  without  dissent,  thus  affording  me  the  satisfac- 
tion of  foreseeing  of  what  great  assistance  she  would 
be.  She  remained  with  me  at  the  trap  all  night; 
lay  peacefully  by  the  rousing  fire  which  I  built;  and 
for  several  nights,  indeed  until  a  secure  cage  was 
made  and  the  new  prize  safely  transferred  to  it,  she 
kept  me  company  in  my  exposed  vigils. 

A  week  or  two  subsequently,  I  caught  a  female 
grizzly  and  two  yearling  cubs,  which,  together  with 
the  old  grizzly  above  mentioned,  I  soon  afterwards 
carried  down  to  Sonora,  and  disposed  of  at  good  rates, 
laying  in  and  bringing  back  with  me  a  stock  of 
necessaries  for  the  winter.  Just  previous  to  starting 
on  this  trip,  the  Indian  boys,  Tuolumne  and  Stanis- 
laus, returned  according  to  their  promises;  and  my 
camp  was  therefore  in  good  hands  during  my  ab- 
sence. 

On  my  return,  when  within  a  mile  of  Strawberry 
Ranch,  late  in  the  afternoon,  I  shot  a  fat  buck;  I 
was,  however,  too  much  fatigued  to  pack  the  body, 
and  left  it  lying,  while  I  rode  on  to  a  vacant  log-hut, 
intending  to  go  back  for  it  after  refreshing  and  resting 
myself.  Upon  returning  about  sundown,  I  perceived 
that  a  grizzly  bear  had  taken  possession  of  the  meat, 


184  OUR   CAMP   IN   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

and  was  busily  making  his  supper;  which  audacious 
intermeddUng  of  his,  after  I  had  made  up  my  mouth 
for  a  good  roast  that  evening,  was  as  unpleasant  as  it 
was  unexpected.  I  determined  to  punish  the  fellow 
with  proper  spirit;  and,  accordingly,  crawling  around 
without  being  perceived,  I  got  behind  a  huge  pine-tree, 
from  which,  taking  a  deliberate  aim,  I  fired  at  him. 
Owing,  however,  to  the  duskiness  of  the  hour,  my  aim 
was  not  as  good  as  could  have  been  wished,  and  the 
ball  must  have  glanced,  for  the  bear,  after  uttering 
a  tremendous  growl,  rose  upon  his  feet  and  looked 
around  for  the  disturber;  but,  not  discovering  me,  he 
soon  dropped  upon  all-fours  again,  and  ran  off  with  a 
speed  which  did  credit  to  the  locomotive  powers  of 
the  species.  After  he  had  disappeared,  I  ventured 
down  to  the  deer;  but  found  that  the  bear  had  got 
his  full  share,  for  he  had  eaten  nearly  half.  He  had, 
as  is  the  general  habit  of  bears,  commenced  opera- 
tions at  the  breast,  consumed  the  vitals,  and  then 
attacked  the  foreparts.  I  shouldered  what  he  had 
left,  and  started  off;  but  must  acknowledge  that 
every  rustle  and  stir  for  a  while  produced  anything 
but  a  pleasant  effect  upon  my  nerves,  and  more  than 
once  I  supposed  that  now  the  real  battle  would 
come. 

The  bear,  however,  had  got  enough;  but  in  a  short 
time  three  saucy  coyotes  came  up  behind  me,  and  dis- 
puted the  title  to  the  venison.  They  ran  around, 
barked  and  snapped  at  the  meat,  and  endeavored  to 
seize  it;  and,  it  being  too  dark  to  procure  aim  with 
my  rifle,  the  only  way  left  to  defend  the  booty  was  to 


OUR   CAMP    IN    THE   SIERRA    NEVADA.  185 

take  m}'  bowie-knife  to  them.  The  cowardly  knaves 
seemed  to  understand  the  virtues  of  the  cold  steel, 
and  kept  at  a  respectable  distance;  till  at  length  I 
reached  the  hut,  and  built  up  a  large  fire,  which  ef- 
fectually scared  them  off,  though  they  afterwards  re- 
turned with  an  accession  of  forces,  and  barked  and 
yelped  about  the  neighborhood  all  night.  After  roast- 
ing and  eating  my  supper,  I  carried  the  remainder 
of  the  meat  with  me  into  the  cabin,  and,  bolting  the 
door,  lay  down  and  had  a  comfortable  night  of  sleep, 
to  which  my  fatigue  had  disposed  me. 

The  next  day,  I  reached  camp  and  found  every- 
thing in  good  order,  as  was  to  have  been  expected  un- 
der the  care  of  my  faithful  boys.  From  this  time,  for 
the  next  month  or  two,  we  continued  in  our  mountain 
camp,  making  short  excursions  in  search  of  game  only 
as  we  required  it.  Meanwhile  the  winter  advanced; 
first  the  rains  fell,  and  by  degrees  the  snows  came 
more  and  more  frequently,  until  at  length  the  regular 
snow-line  descended  from  the  higher  peaks  far  below  us; 
and  at  last  the  entire  mountain-side  was  enveloped  for 
the  season  in  a  glittering  white  mantle.  As  the  snow- 
line descended,  the  game,  as  usual,  preceded  it;  so 
that  it  was  only  occasionally  that  our  traps  procured 
us  a  stray  wolf  or  bear,  and  all  our  hunting  had  to 
be  done  in  the  more  moderate  climates  of  the  foot- 
hills below.  In  our  trips  up  and  down  the  mountains, 
we  were  at  first  much  incommoded  by  the  snow;  but 
presently,  after  a  few  thaws  and  frosts,  the  crust 
became  sufficiently  hard  to  bear  us  well,  and  we  trav- 
elled upon  it  with  comparative  ease. 


186  OUR   CAMP    IN   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

Upon  one  of  these  trips,  Tuolumne  complained 
about  his  feet;  and,  on  examination,  1  ascertained 
that  they  were  frostbitten.  I  immediately  directed 
him  to  bathe  them  in  very  cold  water,  then  anoint 
them  with  panther's  oil,  and  wrap  them  up  in  cotton 
cloths.  After  doing  this,  he  was  put  to  bed  and 
required  to  remain  at  camp  for  several  days,  by  which 
time  he  fully  recovered. 

One  of  these  days,  Stanislaus  and  I  went  out  on  a 
short  hunt,  but  were  overtaken  by  a  dreadful  storm, 
and  compelled  to  take  shelter  for  the  night  under  a 
pine-tree.  We  built  a  rousing  fire,  and  lay  down  to 
sleep;  but  in  the  course  of  the  night  I  awoke,  and 
finding  the  weather  very  severe  and  Stanislaus  suffer- 
ing from  cold,  I  made  him  take  my  blanket  in  addi- 
tion to  his  own.  As  for  myself,  I  coaxed  Lady 
Washington,  who  accompanied  us,  as  near  the  fire  as 
possible,  and  then  lay  down  next  her,  having  her 
shaggy  coat  on  one  side  and  the  fire  on  the  other. 
It  was  my  first  experiment  of  this  kind,  and  I  felt  a 
little  fearful  for  a  while  of  having  a  troublesome  bed- 
fellow; but,  being  very  sleepy,  I  soon  forgot  my  anx- 
iety in  slumber.  Once  only  she  rose  and  withdrew 
for  a  few  minutes,  but  soon  came  back,  lapped  my 
hands  a  moment,  and  again  nestled  down  in  her  for- 
mer position,  apparently  with  the  object  of  get- 
ting as  close  to  me  as  I  wished  to  get  to  her.  It 
was  late  the  next  morning  before  I  waked,  when  I 
found  my  shaggy  companion  still  sleeping,  and  as 
calmly  and  peacefully  as  could  have  been  desired. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  winter  we  also  made  our- 


OUR   CAMP    IN    THE    SIERRA    NEVADA.  187 

selves  snow-shoes,  by  bending  tough  pieces  of  green 
wood  into  large  bows,  and  weaving  over  them  strips 
of  green  hide.  These  we  fastened  to  the  bottom  of 
our  moccasins  with  straps  of  buckskin;  and,  having 
thus  wide  foundations,  we  were  able  to  walk  easily 
upon  the  surface  of  the  snow,  even  when  it  was  very 
soft;  and  they  were  of  great  service  on  many  occa- 
sions. We  also  constructed  sledges  to  transport  our 
game  through  the  snow;  and  sometimes  hitched  up 
Lady  Washington,  and  made  her  draw  them.  She 
was  slow  in  learning  her  duty  at  this  kind  of  service, 
and  required  watching  and  correction  some  time  be- 
fore she  took  to  the  work  with  proper  spirit;  but,  by 
degrees,  she  learnt  the  lesson  well,  and  was  thus  of 
great  value,  not  only  as  a  beast  of  burden,  but  also  as 
a  draught  animal. 

But  a  detailed  account  of  our  wintering  in  the 
mountains  of  California,  where  there  were  so  many 
objects  to  attract  and  engage  attention,  would  fur- 
nish in  itself  ample  matter  for  a  large  volume.  I 
must  remember  that  I  have  an  almost  interminable 
subject  before  me,  and  am  therefore  compelled  to 
compress  and  abridge  with  an  unsparing  hand;  and 
sometimes  pass  over  much  time  in  a  few  words.  I 
must  remember  that,  now  and  here,  I  can  only  select 
the  more  important  passages  of  my  adventures,  and 
present  them  to  the  reader  in  as  brief,  plain,  and  un- 
adorned terms  as  possible. 


188  YOSEMITE. 


CHAPTER  II. 

YOSEMITE. 

Arrival  of  Solon.  Resolution  to  visit  the  Yosemite  Valley  with  him. 
Our  Contract.  Our  Start.  The  Road.  First  Impressions  of  the 
Valley.  Splendors  of  the  Scene.  The  View  from  the  Foot  of  the 
Cliffs.  General  Hunting.  Birth  of  Rambler.  Ben  Franklin 
Discovery  of  a  Grizzly's  Den.  My  one  Idea.  My  Resolution 
My  Preparations.  The  Ravine.  Chaparral.  Reconnoitring 
The  Position  and  Appearance  of  the  Den.  Provision  for  my  Mule 
A  Night-watch.  Report  of  the  Rifle  among  the  Hills.  Subter 
ranean  Sounds.  A  Day-watch.  A  Sight  of  the  Grizzly  Dam 
Change  of  Position.  Preparation  for  a  Combat.  Sleep.  A 
Panther's  Scream.  Alarm.  Reflection.  My  Determination.  The 
Grizzly  Yell.  The  Response.  Appearance  of  the  Bear.  Our 
relative  Positions.  My  Attack.  A  desperate  Effort.  Death  of 
the  Bear.     My  Feelings. 

As  the  spring  of  1854  approached,  and  the  snow 
line  moved  higher  and  higher  towards  the  summits  of 
the  mountains,  and  the  grass  began  to  spring  upon 
slope  and  shelf,  and  the  game  to  follow,  and  the  hunt- 
ers to  come  up,  we  had  occasional  visits  from  the  rov- 
ers of  the  countries  below.  One  of  these  was  Mr. 
Solon,  of  Sonora,  who  stopped  on  his  way  to  the  fa- 
mous Yosemite  Valley,  that  most  sublime  region  of 
California,  and  perhaps  of  the  world.  He  came,  he 
told  me,  having  heard  of  my  hunting,  to  persuade 
me  to  go  upon  a  general  hunt  in  the  great  valley; 
and  it  was  not  long  before  we  projected  a  trip,  which 
was  to  last  about  a  month.  The  agreement  between 
us   was,   that,   in   consideration   of  my   furnishing  a 


YOSEMITE.  189 

horse,  two  mules,  and  the  assistance  of  Tuolumne,  I 
was  to  receive  two  thirds  of  the  prizes  and  profits  of 
the  expedition.  We  immediately  proceeded  to  make 
arrangements  for  the  hunt;  and,  at  the  end  of  a  few 
days,  after  bringing  up  the  mules  from  Howard's, 
and  laying  in  a  stock  of  provisions  for  the  subsist- 
ence of  Stanislaus  during  our  absence,  we  started 
off  over  the  mountains  southeastward,  taking  with 
us,  besides  the  horse  and  mules,  my  bear  Lady 
Washington,  and  a  greyhound  which  I  had  pur- 
chased on  my  last  visit  to  Howard's,  and  brought 
up  with  me. 

Our  road  was  rough  and  difficult;  but,  after  travel- 
ling three  days,  we  arrived  upon  the  brink  of  the  great 
valley.  The  first  view  of  this  sublime  scenery  was  so 
impressive  that  we  were  delayed  a  long  time,  as  if 
spellbound,  looking  down  from  the  mountain  upon 
the  magnificent  landscape  far  below.  It  is  vain  to 
attempt  to  convey  the  effect  produced  by  those  giant 
and  picturesque  cliffs  three  thousand  feet  high,  that 
romantic  valley-bottom  with  its  green  carpet  and  sil- 
very stream,  and  those  groves  of  trees,  which  are 
formed  and  placed  as  if  a  skilful  artist  had  disposed 
them  to  portray  the  essence  of  romance.  It  is  vain 
to  attempt  with  words  alone,  to  convey  the  impressions 
produced  upon  the  mind  by  such  an  enchanting  sight; 
magnitude  may  be  imagined,  beauty  may  be  conceived, 
but  the  breadth  and  scope  of  these  rocks,  the  tempered 
tints  of  these  distances,  the  influence  of  these  sublime 
forms,  inclosing  within  their  compass  lawns  and 
groves  and  grassy  banks,   presenting  at  every   turn 


190  YOSEMITE. 

new  and  unimagined  splendors,  —  all  these  must  be 
seen  and  felt,  to  be  fully  comprehended. 

But,  however  grand  the  valley  looked  from  above, 
it  was  not  until  the  next  day,  when  we  descended 
into  it  and  looked  upward,  that  we  obtained  the 
grandest  views;  just  as,  at  Niagara,  the  most  awe- 
inspiring  sight  is  from  the  foot  of  the  falls,  looking  up 
at  the  waters,  pouring,  as  it  were,  out  of  heaven. 
There  is  a  fall  here,  too,  thousands  instead  of  hun- 
dreds of  feet  in  height;  but  it  was  not  the  fall,  so 
much  as  the  scenery  below  and  around,  that  rav- 
ished my  eyes,  and  produced  impressions  upon  my 
mind  that  are  ineffaceable.  Who  could  ever  forget 
those  stupendous  cliffs,  with  their  fit  associates,  the 
tapering  evergreens?  or  the  greenswards,  and  oak 
and  cotton-wood  groves  of  the  valley,  with  such  sur- 
roundings?—  and  Flora  adorns  the  carpet  under- 
neath, as  brightly  as  the  rainbows  paint  the  spray 
above.  We  spent  the  entire  day  visiting  interest- 
ing points,  and  searching  out  the  varied  beauties 
of  this  inexhaustible  valley. 

The  next  morning,  we  moved  about  ten  miles  above 
the  falls,  and  pitched  our  camp  in  a  grassy  glen, 
where  for  several  days  we  hunted  with  great  success, 
slaying  deer  and  bears.  In  this  camp,  the  grey- 
hound unexpectedly  presented  me  with  a  litter  of 
puppies,  one  of  which  grew  up  to  be  Rambler,  the 
companion  of  Ben,  and,  as  such  companion,  a  sharer 
in  my  affection  for  that  noble  animal. 

My  next  adventure,  and  the  most  fortunate  of  all 
my   career,   was   the   capture   of   Ben   Franklin,    the 


TOSEMITE.  191 

flower  of  his  race,  my  firmest  friend,  the  boon  com- 
panion of  my  after-years.  Upon  reviewing  the  ad- 
venture now,  it  seems  that  an  inexplicable  influence 
was  at  work  within  me,  foreshadowing  the  singular 
good-fortune  in  store,  and  attracting  me,  with  an 
irresistible  impulse,  to  brave  the  dangers  and  fa- 
tigues of  besieging,  day  after  day,  and  night  after 
night,  the  stronghold  of  his  ferocious  dam,  slaying  her 
in  the  very  portals  of  her  den,  and  seizing  her  off- 
spring by  fighting  my  way  over  her  body. 

We  had  moved  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Merced 
River.  On  the  first  hunt  there,  I  discovered  a  griz- 
zly's den,  and  no  sooner  had  my  eyes  fallen  upon 
it,  than  I  forgot  all  other  hunting;  I  thought  and 
dreamed  of  nothing  else  but  how  to  take  it;  —  this, 
at  once,  became  all  my  ambition.  Deer,  panthers, 
wolves,  and  other  bears  there  were,  in  plenty,  about 
me;  it  seemed,  too,  that  they  crossed  my  path  more 
frequently  than  ever;  but  they  were  unheeded;  all 
my  mind  was  taken  up  with  the  one  sole  idea  of 
what  proved  to  be  the  greatest  of  my  achievements. 
Fired  with  this  single  thought,  I  determined  to  sep- 
arate from  my  companions,  leaving  them  to  employ 
themselves  as  their  inclinations  pleased;  as  for  my- 
self, I  had  chosen  my  post,  and  would  station  my- 
self at  it,  to  succeed  in  my  undertaking  or  die  in 
the  attempt. 

Having  thus  resolved,  I  cleaned  my  rifle  and  pistol, 
sharpened  my  knives,  prepared  muzzles  and  strings, 
furnished  myself  with  provisions,  and,  packing  my 
blankets  upon  a  mule,  started  off  for  the  scene  of  my 


192  TOSEMITE. 

labors.  It  was  a  canon-like  ravine  between  two  hills, 
densely  covered  with  thickets  of  chaparral,  with  here 
and  there  a  bunch  of  juniper  bushes,  a  scrubby  pine, 
or  a  cedar.  A  heap  of  fresh  dirt  in  the  thicket  on 
one  side,  indicated  the  site  of  the  den.  It  resembled 
the  earth  which  a  miner  wheels  out  and  dumps  at  the 
opening  of  a  tunnel;  and  in  size  was  as  much  as 
about  fifty  car-loads.  The  chaparral  around  it  con- 
tained some  thorn  bushes,  but  could  still  be  pene- 
trated. Like  almost  all  the  California  chaparral,  it 
was  thornier  than  that  found  in  Washington;  but  not 
so  much  so  as  that  of  Mexico,  which  cannot  be  safely 
entered,  unless  a  man  be  clothed  in  leather. 

In  a  short  time  after  arriving,  which  was  late  in  the 
afternoon,  I  climbed  a  tree,  and  reconnoitred  the  en- 
tire ravine.  From  that  position,  I  observed  and  chose 
a  spot  for  concealment  in  a  bunch  of  junipers,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  canon,  and  about  a  hundred  yards 
distant  from  the  den;  and,  upon  cautiously  crawling 
up,  found,  as  I  had  anticipated,  that  it  afl'orded  a  fair 
view  of  its  mouth  at  the  same  time  that  it  screened 
me  entirely  from  observation.  Though  it  was  impos- 
sible to  see  far  into  the  den,  I  soon  ascertained  its 
character  to  be  similar  to  that  usually  dug  by  the  Cali- 
fornia grizzly;  —  in  form  something  like  an  oven, 
having  an  entrance  three  or  four  feet  in  diameter  and 
six  or  ten  feet  long,  with  a  larger  space,  or  den 
proper,  rounded  out  at  the  extremity,  intended  for  the 
lying-in  place  of  the  dam  and  the  bedding  of  the 
cubs.  A  number  of  such  dens  I  had  seen  in  the 
Sierra,   varying  only  according   to  their  position  and 


YOSEMITE.  193 

the  quality  of  the  ground  in  which  they  were  exca- 
vated. The  ravine  here  was  rugged  and  narrow; 
and  the  den  penetrated  its  steep,  bushy  side,  about 
fifty  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  stream,  at  this  time 
dry,  which  formed  the  bottom  of  the  canon. 

After  making  these  observations,  and  satisfying 
myself  that  my  position  was  the  most  judicious  pos- 
sible, being  convinced  that  there  were  cubs  in  the 
place,  I  went  back  to  the  mule,  built  up  a  little  fire 
for  her  protection,  and  then,  leaving  her  to  herself,  I 
took  my  blankets,  returned  to  my  post  in  the  juniper 
bushes,  and  commenced  my  watch,  which  I  kept  up 
unremittingly  till  morning.  It  was  an  uncomfortable 
vigil;  the  ground  was  so  steep  that  there  was  no  level 
place  to  lie  down,  and  the  night  was  very  cold.  I 
thought  several  times  in  the  course  of  it  that  I  could 
hear  the  barking  of  cubs  in  the  direction  of  the  den; 
but,  with  this  exception,  every  thing  in  the  ravine  was 
silent  and  dreary.  Other  wild  beasts  had  evidently 
been  driven  away  from  the  region  by  the  fear  of  the 
savage  tenant,  who  made  all  a  desert  in  her  neighbor- 
hood; so  that  even  the  lugubrious  howls  of  the  wolf 
and  coyote,  which  custom  had  made  music  to  my 
ears,  were  inaudible;  and  for  the  very  want  of  mel- 
ancholy noises,  I  was  more  than  usually  melancholy. 

As  the  light  of  dawn  began  to  peep,  the  thought 
struck  me  to  discharge  my  rifle  for  two  reasons:  first, 
to  see  what  effect  it  would  have;  and,  again,  to  put 
in  a  fresh  charge.  Upon  doing  so,  the  report  echoed 
off  among  the  hills,  as  if  they  were  playing  with  the 
unaccustomed  sound.     It  had  barely  died  away,  when 


194  YOSEMITE. 

there  seemed  to  be  a  snuffing  underground,  very 
faint  at  first,  but  growing  louder  and  louder,  until 
there  was  no  mistaking  it  for  the  growl  of  a  bear.  I 
climbed  a  small  tree,  and  looked  and  listened  atten- 
tively, in  hopes  of  seeing  her;  but  the  sound  died 
away  in  a  few  minutes,  and  again  all  was  silent.  De- 
scending to  my  place  in  the  bushes,  I  continued  the 
watch,  now  peeping  into  the  den,  and  then  looking  at 
the  vultures  and  buzzards  sailing  high  overhead,  till 
the  sun  rose,  which,  in  that  narrow  gorge,  was  not 
until  nearly  noon.  I  then  returned  to  the  mule, 
moved  her  to  a  new  pasture,  and  provided  myself 
with  a  meal  of  dried  venison,  which  I  ate  with  exces- 
sive relish,  and  washed  down  with  water  from  a  spring 
at  the  foot  of  the  ravine.  After  satisfying  myself, 
feeling  much  refreshed,  I  cautiously  returned  to  the 
juniper  bushes,  resumed  my  watch,  and  sat  most  of 
the  afternoon  with  my  arms  ready  for  action;  —  but 
there  were  no  signs  of  bears,  and  no  noises  save  the 
chirping  of  a  few  birds  among  the  chaparral.  Short- 
ly after  mid-day  I  got  a  short  nap,  and  in  the  even- 
ing went  back  and  built  a  fire  near  the  mule;  but 
before  dark  I  was  at  my  post  again,  and  there  I  re- 
mained, shivering,  till  morning. 

About  daybreak  there  was  again  a  noise  In  the 
den,  and  I  thought  the  old  bear  might  be  stirring,  and 
prepared  for  her  reception;  but  it  was  a  vain  expec- 
tation; for  in  a  short  time  all  was  quiet,  and  it 
seemed  as  if  she  never  would  show  herself.  As  the 
morning  advanced,  however,  I  discharged  my  rifie 
again,  and  was  gratified,  not  only  with  a  snuff  in  the 


YOSEMITE.  195 

den,  but  also  with  the  sight  of  the  occupant's  head 
and  paws,  as  she  came  to  the  mouth  of  her  strong- 
hold; but  the  most  gratifying  circumstance  was  the 
yelping  of  cubs,  which  could  now  be  distinctly  heard. 
Being  thus  convinced,  beyond  the  possibility  of  a 
doubt,  of  the  presence  of  what  I  sought,  I  directly 
made  arrangements  for  an  encounter  with  the  dam. 

For  an  attack,  my  position,  chosen  for  an  outlook, 
was  too  far  distant;  and,  besides,  a  rugged,  deep  hol- 
low intervened;  so  that,  even  had  a  ball  wounded  the 
animal,  I  would  not  be  near  enough  to  improve  the 
advantage.  Accordingly,  after  attending  to  the  wants 
of  my  mule  and  eating  my  lonely  meal,  I  moved  my 
position  across  the  ravine  to  a  point  about  forty  yards 
above  the  den,  from  which  I  could  easily  see  the 
bank  of  excavated  dirt,  though  not  the  entrance.  To 
reach  this  point,  I  had  to  move  through  the  bushes 
very  circumspectly,  and,  therefore,  slowly;  in  many 
places  it  was  necessary  to  use  my  knife  in  cutting  my 
way;  and  much  noise  would  inevitably  have  brought 
the  ferocious  brute  upon  me,  while  unprepared.  Upon 
reaching  the  position  at  last,  there  appeared  to  be 
nothing  to  disturb  my  view,  except  several  twigs 
which  stuck  up  a  few  yards  in  front;  these  I  found  it 
necessary  to  remove;  and,  for  this  purpose,  laying 
aside  my  rifle  for  the  first  time  in  two  days,  and 
crawling  forwards  under  the  brush,  I  rose,  cut  the 
twigs  with  my  knife,  laid  them  aside,  and,  creeping 
back  to  my  position,  as  cautiously  as  if  in  an  Indian 
ambush,  again  felt  safe  in  the  companionship  of  my 
iifle. 


196  YOSEMITE. 

As  the  third  evening  approached,  I  visited  the 
mule  as  before,  but  neglected  to  make  a  fire;  and, 
hurriedly  returning,  took  up  my  post  for  the  night. 
Up  to  this  time  excitement  had  kept  me  wakeful, 
but  tired  nature  now  called  for  rest;  and,  as  I  sat 
with  my  blankets  drawn  closely  round  me,  and  my 
rifle  between  my  knees,  I  unwittingly  fell  asleep, 
and  for  many  hours  was  totally  unconcious  of  my  pur- 
poses in  that  wild  and  savage  glen,  and  the  dangers 
which  surrounded  me.  It  was  nearly  morning  when 
I  was  suddenly  aroused  and  dreadfully  startled  by 
the  screech  of  a  panther  on  the  hill  above  me.  For 
a  moment  my  very  bones  quaked  with  terror;  but  I 
soon  reasoned  myself  calm.  What  a  fool,  thought  I, 
to  be  thus  startled  by  the  cry  of  a  panther,  a  cowardly 
brute,  which  dare  not  stand  face  to  face  and  fight 
with  a  man;  while  here  I  am,  inviting  a  combat  with 
a  grizzly  bear,  the  savagest  beast  that  ranges  the 
forest!  With  this  comfortable  reflection,  I  worked  up 
my  courage,  and,  being  greatly  refreshed  with  my 
sleep,  felt  bold  enough  to  face  almost  any  odds;  — 
but  the  panther  did  not  approach;  and  in  less  than 
twenty  minutes  a  distant  scream  notified  me  that  he 
was  already  far  beyond  my  reach. 

Daylight  came,  but  the  bear  still  remained  housed, 
and  I  began  to  think  she  would  not  make  her  appear- 
ance. My  watching  was  now  becoming  very  irksome, 
and,  feeling  much  like  bringing  the  adventure  to  an 
issue,  I  determined  to  rouse  her.  There  was  some 
danger  in  this;  for  my  plan  would  probably  attract 
her  directly  to  me,  and,  as  sure  as  she  should  see  me. 


YOSEMITE.  197 

I  knew  she  would  give  no  time  to  draw  an  aim.  Be- 
fore putting  my  plan  into  execution,  therefore,  I  stuck 
my  cap  full  of  green  twigs,  and  stationed  myself  in 
such  a  manner  in  the  bushes  that  it  would  take  a  nice 
eye  to  discern  my  form,  even  though  looking  directly 
towards  me.  Having  thus  disposed  myself,  cocking 
and  drawing  my  rifle,  I  uttered  one  of  those  terrific 
yells  with  which  I  have  so  often  started  the  grizzly  to 
his  feet.  It  echoed  like  the  roar  of  a  Hon  up  the 
canon;  and  in  a  moment  afterwards  there  was  a 
booming  in  the  den  like  the  puffing  and  snorting  of 
an  engine  in  a  tunnel,  and  the  enraged  animal  rushed 
out,  growling  and  snuffing,  as  if  she  could  belch  forth 
the  fire  of  a  volcano.  She  rose  upon  her  hind  feet, 
and  exhibited  a  monster  form, —  limbs  of  terrible 
strength.  She  looked  around  in  every  direction; 
but  in  a  few  moments,  seeing  nothing  to  attack,  she 
sat  down  upon  her  haunches,  with  her  back  towards 
me  and  her  face  towards  the  opposite  side  of  the 
canon,  as  if  her  enemy  were  there. 

During  these  few  minutes  I  stood  as  motionless  as 
a  statue,  hardly  breathing,  waiting  and  watching  an 
opportunity  to  fire.  Had  I  met  such  an  animal  un- 
awares, in  an  unexpected  place,  her  ferocity  would 
have  made  me  tremble;  but  after  my  long  watch  I 
was  anxious  to  commence  the  attack,  and  felt  as  steady 
as  a  piece  of  ordnance  upon  a  battery.  As  I  watched, 
I  saw  her  turn  her  head  towards  the  den;  and,  fearing 
she  would  retire,  I  gave  a  low,  sharp  whistle,  which 
brought  her  to  her  feet  again,  with  her  breast  fronting 
directly  towards  me.     It  was  then,  having  my  rifle 


198  YOSEMITE. 

already  drawn,  that  I  fired;  and  in  an  instant,  drop- 
ping the  rifle,  I  drew  my  pistol  in  one  hand  and  my 
knife  in  the  other.  The  bear,  as  the  ball  slapped 
loudly  in  the  fat  of  her  breast,  staggered  and  fell 
backwards,  and  began  pawing  and  biting  the  ground, 
—  a  sure  sign  of  a  deadly  hurt.  Copious  streams  of 
crimson  blood  also  gushed  from  her  breast,  and  I 
knew  that  they  came  from  the  fountainhead.  The 
work  was,  indeed,  nearly  done;  but  so  anxious  was 
I  to  complete  it  at  once,  that  I  commenced  leaping 
over  the  bushes  to  plunge  my  knife  in  her  dying 
heart;  when,  gathering  her  savage  strength,  she  rose, 
and,  with  one  last,  desperate  effort,  sprang  towards  me. 
The  distance  between  us  was  only  thirty  feet,  but, 
fortunately,  full  of  brush,  and  she  soon  weakened 
wuth  the  prodigious  energy  requisite  to  tear  her  way 
through  it.  I  discharged  the  six  shots  of  my  revolver, 
the  last  of  which  struck  under  the  left  ear,  and  laid 
her  still  for  a  moment;  when,  leaping  forwards,  I 
plunged  my  knife  to  her  vitals.  Again  she  endeav- 
ored to  rise,  but  was  so  choked  with  blood  that  she 
could  not.  I  drew  my  knife  across  her  throat,  and 
after  a  few  convulsive  struggles  she  expired. 

My  feelings,  as  she  thus  lay  dead  at  my  feet,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  describe.  I  looked  at  the  hills 
around,  to  see  if  any  eye  had  beheld  my  success; 
but  all  was  silence.  I  looked  to  the  heavens;  but  all 
was  quiet,  only  a  vulture  was  circling  like  a  speck 
in  the  distant  ether.  I  was  alone  in  the  gorge,  and, 
as  I  looked  upon  the  dead  monster,  felt  like  Alexander 
sated  with  victory  and  wishing  another  foe  to  engage, 
worthy  of  my  prowess. 


ADAMS   AND   THE   WOLF. 


BEN   FRANKLIN,  199 


CHAPTER  III. 


BEN    FRANKLIN. 

Pleasurable  Recollections  of  the  Mariposa  Adventure.  Determina- 
tion to  enter  the  Den.  My  Caution.  My  Preparations.  Torches. 
Construction  of  the  Den.  Seizure  of  the  Cubs.  Retreat.  My 
Joy.  Disappearance  of  the  Mule,  "Betz."  Trace  of  the  Panther. 
Return  to  Camp.  Solon's  Wonder.  Christening  of  the  Cubs. 
Revisit  the  Den.  Reentry  of  the  Den.  Discovery  of  a  Wolf. 
Adventure  with  the  Wolf.  Solon's  Fright.  Manufacture  of 
Milk.  A  new  Idea.  The  Hound  a  Fo.ster-mother  of  the  Cubs. 
Buckskin  Mittens.  Thriving  of  the  Cubs.  Solon's  trading  Trips 
to  the  Mines.  Lady  Washington  as  a  Pack-animal.  Hunting 
with  the  Lady.  A  gray  Wolf.  Capture  of  Wolf  Whelps.  Deer's 
Eyes  by  the  Nightfire.  Mountain  Sheep.  Slay  a  Ram.  Solon 
and  I  on  the  Hunt.  Solon  attacked  by  a  Panther.  His  Peril. 
My  Attack.  Solon's  Story.  Solon's  Forethought.  Reflections. 
Solon's  Wounds.  The  Water-cure.  The  Philosophy  of  the  Water- 
cure.  Mountain  Surgery  in  Earnest.  Search  for  the  Panther. 
Discovery  of  the  Beast  and  her  Kittens.  Our  Attack.  Slaying 
of  the  Dam.  Seizure  of  the  Kittens.  Solon's  Satisfaction.  Char- 
acteristics of  Mountain  Sheep.  Our  Family.  Lady  Washing- 
ton with  the  Kittens  on  her  Back.  Return  to  Camp.  Presents 
to  Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus.     Their  Devotion. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  dwell  upon  this  part  of 
my  story,  and  I  would  fain  distinguish  it  with  living 
words.  In  all  the  after-course  of  my  career,  I  could 
look  back  upon  it  with  peculiar  satisfaction;  and  rare- 
ly, in  the  following  years,  did  I  pat  the  shaggy  coat 
of  my  noble  Ben,  but  I  recurred  to  my  fatiguing  and 
solitary  vigils  in  the  Mariposa  canon,  my  combat  with 
the  monster  grizzly,  my  entry  in  her  den,  and  seizure 
of  her  offspring.     The  whole  adventure  is  impressed 


200  BEN    FRANKLIN. 

upon  my  memory,  as  if  it  had  occurred  but  yester- 
day. 

No  sooner  was  the  dam  dead,  than  I  turned  towards 
the  den,  and  determined  to  enter  it  without  delay. 
Approaching  its  mouth,  accordingly,  I  knelt,  and  tried 
to  peer  in;  but  all  was  dark,  silent,  and  ominous. 
What  dangers  might  lurk  in  that  mysterious  gloom,  it 
was  impossible  to  tell;  nor  was  it  without  a  tremor 
that  I  prepared  to  explore  its  depths.  I  trembled  for 
a  moment  at  the  thought  of  another  old  bear  in  the 
den;  but  on  second  thought  I  assured  myself  of  the 
folly  of  such  an  idea;  for  an  occurrence  of  this  kind 
would  have  been  against  all  experience.  But  in  such  a 
situation,  a  man  imagines  many  things,  and  fears  much 
at  which  he  afterwards  laughs;  and  therefore,  though 
there  was  really  no  difficulty  to  anticipate,  I  carefully 
loaded  my  rifle  and  pistol,  and  carried  my  arms  as  if, 
the  next  instant,  I  was  to  be  called  upon  to  fight  for 
life.  Being  thus  prepared,  I  took  from  my  pocket  a 
small  torch  made  of  pine  splinters,  lighted  it,  and, 
placing  my  rifle  in  the  mouth  of  the  den,  with  the 
torch  in  my  left  and  the  pistol  in  my  right  hand,  I 
dropped  upon  my  knees  and  began  to  crawl  in. 

The  entrance  consisted  of  a  rough  hole,  three  feet 
wide  and  four  feet  high.  It  extended  inwards  nearly 
horizontally,  and  almost  without  a  turn,  for  six  feet, 
where  there  was  a  chamber,  six  or  eight  feet  in  diam- 
eter and  five  feet  high,  giving  me  room  to  rise  upon  my 
knees,  but  not  to  stand  up;  —  and  its  entire  floor  was 
thickly  carpeted  with  leaves  and  grass.  On  the  first 
look,  I  could  see  no  animals,  and  felt  grievously  disap- 


BEN   FRANKLIN.  201 

pointed;  but,  as  I  crawled  around,  there  was  a  rus- 
tling in  the  leaves;  and,  bending  down  with  my  torch, 
I  discovered  two  beautiful  little  cubs,  which  could  not 
have  been  over  a  week  old,  as  their  eyes,  which  open 
in  eight  or  ten  days,  were  still  closed.  I  took  the  lit- 
tle sprawlers,  one  after  the  other,  by  the  nape  of  the 
neck,  lifted  them  up  to  the  light,  and  found  them  very 
lively.  They  were  both  males;  a  circumstance  which 
gave  me  reason  to  presume  there  might  be  a  third 
cub,  for  it  is  frequent  that  a  litter  consists  of  three, 
and  I  looked  carefully;  but  no  other  was  to  be  found. 
I  concluded,  therefore,  that  if  there  had  been  a  third, 
the  dam  had  devoured  it, —  a  thing  she  often,  and  if 
a  cub  dies,  or  be  deformed,  she  always,  does.  Satisfy- 
ing myself  that  there  were  no  others,  I  took  the  two, 
and,  placing  them  in  my  bosom,  between  my  buckskin 
and  woollen  shirt,  once  more  emerged  into  daylight. 

The  possession  of  the  prizes  delighted  me  so  much 
that  I  almost  danced  my  way  down  through  the 
bushes  and  over  the  uneven  ground  to  the  spot 
where  my  mule  had  been  left;  but,  upon  arriving 
there,  it  gave  me  great  concern  to  find  that  she  was 
gone.  At  first,  I  thought  surely  she  had  been 
stolen;  but,  as  my  bag  of  dried  venison  remained 
undisturbed  upon  the  tree,  and  much  more  as  the 
tracks  of  a  panther  were  to  be  seen  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, I  became  convinced  that  she  had  been  attacked 
by  my  disturber  of  the  previous  night,  and  had  broken 
away.  Indeed,  upon  further  examination,  I  found 
her  track,  leading  off  through  the  chaparral;  and, 
following  it  over  a  hill  and  through  another  canon,  at 


202  BEN    FRANKLIN. 

length  found  her  grazing  in  a  grassy  valley.  She 
seemed  much  frightened  at  first  upon  seeing  me, 
but  when  I  called  her  "Betz,"  she  stopped,  turned 
around,  looked,  and  then  came  up,  apparently  glad 
to  meet  me  again.  Her  haunches  bore  several  deep 
and  fresh  scratches,  which  were  still  more  convinc- 
ing evidences  to  my  mind  that  the  panther  had 
sprung  upon  her,  but  that  she  had  broken  loose  and 
escaped. 

Mounting  the  mule,  I  returned  to  the  dead  bear, 
and,  cutting  her  up,  packed  a  portion  of  her  meat; 
the  remainder  I  left  in  the  mouth  of  the  den;  and, 
turning  my  face  out  of  the  ravine,  I  proceeded  in 
excellent  spirits,  bearing  the  cubs  still  in  my  bosom, 
towards  the  camp  of  my  companions.  Upon  reach- 
ing there,  shortly  after  dark,  I  showed  Solon  what  I 
had  accomplished;  and,  placing  the  cubs  before  him, 
chose  one  for  my  own  and  presented  him  with  the 
other.  He  thought  that  this  was  more  than  his  share; 
but  I  insisted  upon  his  receiving  it,  and  he  did  so 
with  a  thankful  heart.  He  asked  me  the  story  of  the 
capture,  and  I  told  it,  from  the  moment  of  my  leav- 
ing camp  to  my  return.  He  wondered  much  at  my 
patient  watching  in  the  juniper  bushes,  and  said  he 
would  not  have  done  it,  but  still  he  wished  he  had 
been  with  me;  —  and  thus  we  went  on  talking,  till  the 
dying  embers  admonished  us  of  the  lateness  of  the 
hour.  Before  retiring,  Solon  christened  his  cub  Gen- 
eral Jackson;  I  remarked  that  General  Jackson  was 
a  great  man  in  his  way,  but  I  would  call  my  bear 
Ben  Franklin,  —  a  greater  name.    Such  was  the  man- 


BEN   FRANKLIN.  203 

ner  that,  in  one  and  the  same  day,  I  captured  and 
christened  my  noble  Ben. 

The  next  morning,  Solon  expressed  a  desire  to  see 
the  den,  and  we  hunted  in  that  direction.  Upon 
arriving  at  the  spot,  we  found  that  the  bear-meat, 
which  I  had  left  at  its  mouth  the  previous  day,  was 
torn  to  pieces  and  almost  entirely  eaten.  What  had 
done  this  we  did  not  know,  and  conjectured  vultures; 
but,  as  our  supply  of  meat  was  already  ample,  the 
loss  gave  us  no  concern,  and  we  thought  nothing  more 
of  the  matter;  and,  as  we  had  brought  with  us  several 
torches,  I  told  Solon  to  light  one  if  he  wished  to 
examine  the  den,  and  go  in.  He,  however,  seemed 
backward  about  venturing,  and  finally  I  seized  the 
torch  myself,  and  prepared  to  lead  the  way.  As  I 
did  so,  the  leaves  in  the  den  rustled  in  a  singular 
manner,  and,  upon  getting  in  nearly  to  the  chamber, 
I  heard  a  jump  and  a  growl.  This  startled  me  for  a 
moment;  but,  having  my  pistol  in  my  hand,  I  kept 
my  ground,  and,  holding  the  torch  over  my  head  and 
looking  keenly  before  me,  soon  perceived  the  dark 
outlines  of  a  wolf,  sitting  upon  his  haunches  close  up 
against  the  further  side  of  the  den,  and  grinning  at 
me  with  a  most  ferocious  expression. 

The  wolf,  notwithstanding  his  cowardly  disposition, 
is  an  ugly  fellow  to  deal  with  in  close  quarters,  and 
many  men  in  this  situation  would  have  been  very  will- 
ing to  leave  him  alone;  but  I  determined  to  give  him 
fight,  and  called  to  Solon  to  stand  ready,  provided  he 
should  get  past  me.  Then,  sticking  my  torch  in  the 
ground,  and  drawing  my  knife  in  my  left  hand,  hav- 


204  BEN    FRANKLIN. 

Ing  my  revolver  in  my  right,  I  fired  at  the  growling 
brute,  and  would  directly  have  fired  a  second  shot, 
but,  without  giving  me  time  to  do  so,  the  beast 
bounded  past,  in  the  endeavor  to  escape.  As  he  did 
so,  I  seized  his  tail  and  struck  with  my  knife;  but 
this  did  not  stay  his  progress,  and  he  would  have 
certainly  escaped,  but,  fortunately,  Solon  was  well  pre- 
pared, and  gave  a  blow  which  laid  him  cold,  as  he 
emerged. 

Having  thus  cleared  the  den  a  second  time,  I 
handed  the  torch  to  Solon,  and  he  stooped  down  and 
started  in.  He  had  crawled  but  a  few  feet,  however, 
when,  in  a  spirit  of  mischief,  I  cried  out  to  him  to 
beware  of  the  other  wolf;  —  and  he  suddenly  backed 
out,  so  terribly  frightened  that  I  was  sorry  for  him. 
He  would  have  become  angry  about  the  matter,  but 
I  laughed  the  humor  out  of  him,  and  after  a  while  he 
entered  the  den.  I  followed;  and  after  viewing  the 
place  to  our  complete  satisfaction,  we  came  out  and 
returned  to  camp. 

Having  thus  caught  our  cubs,  it  next  became  a 
matter  of  difficulty,  which  troubled  me  several  days, 
how  to  feed  them.  In  the  morning,  I  had  given 
them  a  mixture  of  water,  flour,  and  sugar,  which  was 
the  nearest  approach  to  milk  I  could  think  of;  but 
this  substitute  would  hardly  answer  for  any  length  of 
time.  While  thinking  over  the  matter,  however,  an 
idea  struck  me;  and,  on  being  put  in  execution,  it 
worked  much  better  than  could  have  been  anticipated. 
This  was  no  less  than  making  the  greyhound  suckle 
them.     To  make  room,   we  destroyed  all  the  grey- 


BEN    FRANKLIN.  205 

hound's  litter  except  one,  and  foisted  the  cubs  in  their 
places.  As  was  to  be  expected,  the  hound  was  at 
first  a  little  ugly  towards  these  strange  foster-children, 
and  would  snap  and  bite  them;  but  by  degrees  she 
admitted  them  freely,  and  would  even  lap  and  fondle 
them, —  so  that,  in  fine,  they  at  last  shared  in  her 
affection  with  her  own  offspring.  To  prevent  the 
scratching  of  their  paws,  we  made  little  buckskin  mit- 
tens; and  these  were  put  on  every  time  they  sucked, 
—  which  continued  for  about  three  or  four  weeks. 
They  were  only  a  Httle  heavier  and  clumsier  than 
the  puppy  at  first;  but  they  grew  fast,  seeming  to 
thrive  well  on  the  milk;  and  by  degrees  we  taught 
them  to  eat  bruised  meat,  and,  finally,  entirely 
weaned  them. 

Meanwhile  we  continued  our  hunting;  and  on  sev- 
eral occasions  Solon  made  trips  down  the  mountains 
to  the  nearest  mines,  taking  with  him  the  horse  and 
mules,  packed  with  fresh  and  dried  meat,  which  sold 
readily  to  the  miners,  and  for  a  good  profit.  During 
these  trips,  Tuolumne  and  I,  upon  our  excursions, 
took  with  us  Lady  Washington  in  place  of  a  pack- 
animal;  for,  by  this  time,  she  had  become  so  well 
trained  that  she  answered  every  purpose,  I  had 
made  a  kind  of  saddle  of  green  hide,  resembling  a 
Mexican  aparejo;  and  with  this  we  could  pack  upon 
her  loads  of  two  hundred  pounds'  weight,  which  she 
would  cheerfully  carry. 

Our  success  in  hunting  exceeded  our  expectations, 
and  various  were  the  adventures  we  met  with.  One 
day  I  left  camp  with  the  Lady,  and  travelled  over  a 


206  BEN    FRANKLIN. 

large  extent  of  country  without  meeting  anything 
worthy  of  notice.  In  the  evening,  I  came  into  the 
midst  of  a  region  of  large  cliffs  and  shelving  rocks, 
full  of  holes  and  caves,  and  with  many  large  cedar 
and  pine  trees.  It  was  too  far  distant  to  think  of 
reaching  camp  that  night,  and  I  therefore  determined 
to  spend  the  night  there;  and,  searching  out  a  safe 
spot  near  a  spring  of  water,  took  up  my  station,  hav- 
ing the  Lady  lying  at  my  side.  I  had  not  been  sitting 
long,  when  a  gray  wolf,  with  two  fine  pups  about  a 
month  old,  approached;  and  as  it  was  not  yet  dark, 
I  easily  killed  her. 

The  pups  gave  me  greater  difficulty,  having  run 
into  a  cleft  in  the  rocks,  from  which  it  was  only  with 
smoke  that  they  could  be  dislodged.  As  they  came 
out,  I  seized  them;  but,  catching  the  last  by  the  tail 
instead  of  the  neck,  it  turned  and  bit  my  hand  se- 
verely; however,  I  kept  my  hold  and  secured  him 
I  then  built  up  a  fire  near  the  spring,  and  threw  my- 
self upon  the  grass,  waiting  for  whatever  might  come. 
In  the  course  of  half  an  hour,  a  band  of  deer  ap- 
proached, and  it  was  not  long  before  I  saw  half  a 
dozen  pairs  of  glistening  eyes  looking  curiously  at  the 
fire.  They  presented  a  beautiful  sight,  and  it  was  al- 
most with  sorrow  that  I  fired  at  the  foremost  one, 
which  fell;  but  the  rest  scampered  off.  The  remain- 
der of  the  night,  having  first  roasted  and  eaten  a  bit 
of  fresh  venison,  I  endeavored  to  sleep,  but  was  much 
disturbed  by  wolves  and  panthers,  which  kept  up  a 
dreadful  howling  and  shrieking.  In  the  morning  very 
early  I  mounted  the  cliffs,  and  reached  a  v^ery  rough 


BEN   FRANKLIN.  207 

and  barren  region,  higher  up  in  the  mountains  than  I 
usually  went.  Looking  around,  I  soon  discovered  a 
flock  of  mountain  sheep,  in  every  respect  similar  to 
Rocky  Mountain  big-horns.  I  crept  forward  among 
the  rocks  very  cautiously,  till  within  sixty  yards  of 
the  flock,  but  could  procure  aim  only  at  an  old  ram 
which  had  a  broken  horn,  I  waited  a  considerable 
length  of  time,  in  hopes  of  seeing  a  better  head;  but 
at  last,  getting  out  of  patience,  fired  at  what  there 
was.  As  the  ball  struck,  the  ram  bounded,  like  a 
piece  of  India-rubber,  high  into  the  air,  and  fell  dead, 
flat  upon  the  rock;  but  the  remainder  of  the  flock  ran 
up  the  cliffs,  and  before  I  could  reload,  had  entirely 
disappeared.  The  ram,  which  weighed  about  seventy- 
five  pounds,  and  the  deer  killed  in  the  night,  I  packed 
upon  the  Lady,  and,  taking  the  wolf  pups  in  a  bag, 
travelled  back  to  camp. 

On  another  occasion,  Solon  and  I  started  out  very 
early;  and,  coming  to  a  spot  where  two  ravines  came 
together,  he  started  up  one  and  I  the  other.  I  had 
not  gone  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  before  I  heard 
Solon  cry  out  for  help.  I  bounded  up  the  ridge 
which  separated  us,  and,  upon  reaching  the  top,  saw 
him  lying  under  a  large  tree  in  the  other  ravine, 
and  a  panther  on  top  of  him,  apparently  gnawing 
into  his  neck.  I  shouted  to  him  to  lie  still,  and, 
drawing  my  rifle,  fired  at  the  beast;  but,  in  my 
anxiety  to  shoot  wide  of  my  comrade,  I  did  not 
strike  the  panther  fair,  and  he  bounded  off  into  the 
bushes,  and  escaped. 

In  answer  to  my  inquiries  in  relation  to  this  singu- 


208  BEN    FRANKLIN. 

lar  adventure,  Solon  told  me  that  as  he  was  walking 
up  the  ravine,  looking  only  forward,  and  paying  no 
attention  to  the  trees  overhead,  the  beast  suddenly 
leaped  upon  his  back  and  struck  him  to  the  ground. 
In  the  same  moment  that  he  fell,  he  cried  out  for  me, 
and  pulled  the  cape  of  his  buckskin  coat  over  his 
neck  —  and  this  evidently  saved  his  life.  How  he 
came  to  have  such  forethought  was  strange;  some 
others  might  have  done  so,  but  most  men  would 
never  have  thought  of  it;  I,  for  one,  would  have 
sooner  drawn  my  knife  and  fought.  I  asked  why  he 
did  not  fight;  he  replied  that  he  was  afraid  to  move, 
supposing  that  it  would  only  infuriate  the  animal. 
Such  a  caution,  said  I,  would  have  been  good  in  case 
of  a  bear;  but  the  panther  is  made  of  different  stuff. 
By  nature  a  coward  and  a  sneak,  he  has  the  cruelty 
of  cowardice,  daring  the  combat  only  when  he  has  a 
sure  advantage,  and  wreaking  a  bloodthirsty  ferocity 
most  upon  an  unresisting  victim.  A  determined 
stroke  with  a  knife,  though  it  might  not  have  killed, 
would  have  terrified  and  put  him  to  flight. 

In  the  meanwhile,  I  stripped  the  coat  from  Solon's 
back,  and  found  his  shoulders  severely  scratched  by 
the  panther's  claws.  His  neck,  also,  was  badly  bit- 
ten, but  not  dangerously;  for  the  buckskin  had  for- 
tunately saved  him.  Still  the  wounds  were  serious 
enough  to  require  the  best  of  my  surgical  skill,  and 
I  at  once  placed  them  under  treatment.  I  led  the 
patient  directly  to  a  spring  which  was  not  far  dis- 
tant; and,  making  him  bend  over  it,  with  a  piece  of 
hollowed  bark  I  poured  water  over  his  wounds,  until 


BEN    FRANKLIN.  209 

he  complained  bitterly  of  the  cold.  I  then  put  on 
his  shirt,  saturated  with  water,  and  over  that,  his 
coat;  and,  drawing  off  my  own  coat,  put  that,  also, 
upon  him.  This  was  an  easy  matter,  as  my  shoul- 
ders were  much  broader  than  his,  and,  besides,  my 
clothing  was  always  worn  very  loose,  so  as  to  give 
me  perfect  freedom  of  action. 

A  further  article  of  my  prescription  was,  that  he 
should  drink  as  much  water  as  possible;  but  he  re- 
plied that  he  was  not  thirsty,  and  wished  to  know 
why  he  should  do  so.  I  exj^Iained  the  reason,  by 
saying  that  he  would  soon  become  warm;  the  water 
would,  more  readily,  induce  perspiration,  and  that 
would  ease  his  pains.  He  then  followed  the  direc- 
tion; and,  as  we  returned  to  camp,  though  he  started 
stiff,  in  a  short  time,  by  warming  up  and  perspiring, 
he  felt  well,  and  travelled  as  comfortably  as  ever.  ISIy 
surgery,  however,  did  not  end  here;  for,  upon  reach- 
ing head-quarters,  and  examining  the  wounds  closely, 
I  found  there  were  two,  more  serious  than  anticipated, 
in  the  back  of  Solon's  head,  where  the  marks  of  the 
panther's  teeth  were  plainly  visible.  To  reach  them, 
it  was  necessary  to  shave  the  hair;  and,  as  my  bowie- 
knife  was  the  nearest  approach  to  a  razor  in  the 
camp,  it  was  not  without  wailing  and  gnashing  of 
teeth  that  the  tonsorial  operation  was  accomplished. 
Indeed,  before  it  was  half  done,  the  patient  cried 
that  I  was  worse  than  the  panther.  I  excused  my- 
self by  the  wretchedness  of  my  razor,  and  hacked 
away  again;  when  he  refused  to  submit  any  longer  to 
what  he  called  my  horrible  butchery.     Like  an  expert 


210  BEN    FRANKLIN. 

surgeon,  however,  I  had  Tuolumne  holding  his  head; 
and,  though  he  gritted  his  teeth  and  shouted  with 
pain,  I  went  on,  with  apparently  the  most  unfeel- 
ing coolness,  with  my  work,  until  the  hair  was  as 
short  as  the  nap  of  velvet;  after  which  I  bandaged 
the  wounds  with  wet  rags,  and  put  my  patient  to 
bed. 

Solon  passed  a  good  night,  and  the  next  morning, 
seeing  he  could  get  along  alone,  I  determined  to  hunt 
up  the  panther;  and,  taking  Tuolumne,  proceeded  at 
once  to  the  ravine  where  the  accident  had  occurred. 
We  soon  found  the  trail,  here  and  there  marked  with 
spots  of  blood,  and  followed  it  for  more  than  a  mile 
over  a  hill  into  a  deep  canon.  We  at  last  came  to  a 
very  rugged  and  brushy  place,  where  it  was  neces- 
sary to  creep;  and,  crawling  along,  we  were  suddenly 
startled  by  a  low  growl,  and,  looking  low  under  the 
bushes,  beheld  the  beast  glaring  upon  us  from  a  cleft 
in  the  rocks.  At  her  side  lay  five  kittens;  but  there 
was  blood  upon  them  and  upon  her,  giving  evidence 
that  my  shot  the  day  previous  had  not  been  harm- 
less. Indeed,  had  it  not  been  for  that  shot,  I  doubt 
whether  the  panther  would  have  allowed  us  to  ap- 
proach so  near  her  den,  without  either  attacking  or 
fleeing. 

Our  situation,  under  any  circumstances,  was  not 
without  its  danger;  but  so  used  to  perils  had  I 
become,  that  not  for  a  moment  did  my  judgment 
desert  me.  It  had  always  been  my  practice,  when 
out  with  Tuolumne,  upon  getting  into  danger  like 
this,    to    give    him    the    first    fire.     He    was    a   good 


BEN    FRANKLIN,  211 

marksman;  and,  if  he  killed,  it  would  be  a  great 
encouragement  to  him;  if  he  did  not,  it  would  re- 
quire a  degree  of  coolness,  which  he  did  not  possess, 
to  fire  an  effective  second  shot.  Accordingly,  at  my 
beck  now,  he  discharged  his  rifle.  He  struck  her, 
but  not  to  kill,  and  the  coward  brute  turned  to  fly; 
but,  as  she  exposed  her  side,  I  bored  her  through  the 
middle  with  my  shot,  and  she  dropped  in  her  tracks. 
We  immediately  rushed  up  and  secured  the  kittens, 
which  were  about  a  week  old.  We  afterwards  exam- 
ined the  dead  body,  and  found,  besides  the  wounds  in 
the  breast  and  groin  which  she  had  just  received, 
that  my  ball,  the  previous  day,  had  struck  her  shoul- 
der, and  buried  itself  in  her  neck.  We  then  drew 
our  knives  and  whipped  ofif  her  skin,  preserving  the 
head  and  claws,  and,  taking  it  and  the  cubs,  set  out 
upon  our  return.  On  arriving  at  camp  again,  Solon 
complained  of  lonesomeness;  but  when  I  presented 
him  with  the  skin  of  the  panther,  he  grew  cheerful, 
and  enjoyed  the  story  of  our  adventure  with  great 
relish;  but  he  would  have  wished,  he  said,  to  have 
been  in  Tuolumne's  place,  and  have  had  the  first  fire 
at  the  beast. 

For  three  or  four  days  after  this,  we  continued  our 
hunting,  and,  on  several  occasions,  made  efforts  to 
kill  more  mountain  sheep.  These  wary  animals  in- 
habit the  rockiest  and  most  inaccessible  heights  of 
the  mountains.  Wherever  there  is  a  high,  rugged, 
jaggy,  treeless  waste,  with  only  here  and  there  a 
stunted  bush,  a  clump  of  bushes  or  scanty  bunches 
of  grass,  there  may  they  be  looked  for,  lurking  in  the 


212  BEN    FRANKLIN. 

clefts  and  nooks  of  the  cliffs.  It  requires  a  good 
hunter  to  approach  them;  he  must  keep  himself  out 
of  sight;  he  must  allow  no  breath  of  wind  to  carry 
notice  of  his  vicinity  to  their  keen  nostrils;  he  must 
be  a  sure  marksman,  for  no  second  shot  can  be 
hoped  for.  In  an  instant's  alarm,  the  shaggy  flock, 
as  if  gifted  with  wings,  fly  up  the  precipices,  and 
only  the  eagle  can  follow  them. 

Upon  breaking  up  camp,  to  return  to  our  general 
head-quarters  on  the  Merced  River,  we  had,  besides 
numerous  bales  of  dried  meat  and  hides,  quite  a 
family  of  young  animals,  consisting  of  two  bear  cubs, 
two  wolf  pups,  five  panther  kittens  and  two  fawns, 
which  we  caught  upon  one  of  our  excursions.  These 
young  animals  we  packed  in  boxes  or  baskets,  and 
placed  on  top  of  the  bags  and  bales  carried  by  the 
horse  and  mules.  Lady  Washington  also,  on  the 
journey  homeward,  was  required  to  bear  her  pro- 
portion, which  she  obediently  did,  till  the  panthers, 
which  constituted  a  portion  of  her  burden,  began  to 
whine;  and  she  then  became  so  uneasy  that  I  was 
compelled  to  lead  her  until  they  were  quieted. 

We  travelled  back  over  the  mountains  by  slow  and 
easy  stages  until  we  arrived  at  our  old  camp,  and 
were  welcomed  by  our  faithful  Stanislaus,  who,  during 
our  absence,  had  protected  our  interests  with  remark- 
able ability.  It  was  with  satisfaction,  therefore,  that 
I  presented  him,  as  well  as  Tuolumne,  with  a  new 
bowie-knife,  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  and  new  blankets, 
which  Solon,  in  one  of  his  trips  to  the  mines,  had 
purchased  at  my  direction.     Both  lads,  upon  receiv- 


BEN    FRANKLIN.  213 

ing  their  presents,  repeated  to  me  their  assurances  of 
devotion  and  willingness  to  continue  in  my  service; 
to  which  I  replied  that  the  Rocky  Mountains  was  the 
next  mark  of  my  ambition;  and  they  answered  that  I 
should  lead  on,  they  were  ready  to  follow. 


214  PASSAGE    OF    THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PASSAGE   OF   THE   SIERRA   NEVADA. 

Expedition  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Preparations.  My  Compan- 
ions. Gray.  Contract  with  Gray.  Digger  Indians.  The  Phi- 
losophy of  Life.  Indian  Fellow-travellers.  Their  Improvi- 
dence. Our  Train.  Respective  Causes  of  Pleasure.  The  first 
Day's  Journey.  The  Road.  Ascent.  The  Snow.  Aid  of  the 
Indians.  The  Heights  of  the  Sierra.  A  steep  Place.  Our 
Labor.  Construction  of  a  Road.  Progress.  A  general  Treat. 
Camping  in  the  Snow.  Firewood.  Tobacco.  Night  on  the 
Mountain-tops.  A  festive  Camp.  Notions  about  the  Diggers. 
Attack  by  Wolves.  Adventure  with  a  Panther.  A  narrow  Canon. 
Lugging  through  a  Pass.  Pulling  and  Tugging.  A  Supper  of 
Panther's  Meat.  A  quiet  Camp.  Blistered  Hands.  Packing 
up  the  last  Slope.     The  Summit. 

It  was,  if  I  mistake  not,  about  the  middle  of  April, 
1854,  after  several  busy  weeks  of  preparation,  that 
we  started  upon  our  expedition  eastward  over  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  towards  the  Rocky  Mountains.  From 
the  commencement,  I  anticipated  that  this  would  be  a 
longer  and  more  dangerous  tour  than  the  one  of  the 
preceding  summer;  we  would  have  to  pass  over  des- 
erts, traverse  totally  unknown  mountains,  and  travel 
through  the  countries  of  Indians  who  were  often  hos- 
tile to  white  blood.  We  were  also  going  into  the 
haunts  of  animals  celebrated  for  their  ferocity;  and 
it  was  impossible  to  foresee  the  issue  of  the  under- 
taking. Before  starting,  therefore,  I  sold  off  a  num- 
ber of  my  animals,  and  left  my  affairs  in  California  in 
such  a  condition  that,  should  I  never  more  be  heard 


PASSAGE    OF   THE   SIERRA    NEVADA.  215 

of,  my  representatives  would  find  little  difficulty  in 
settling  up  my  worldly  accounts  and  taking  into  pos- 
session all  my  effects.  There  was,  it  is  true,  quite  a 
fortune  of  debts  owing  me;  but  I  had  long  given  up 
the  hope  of  ever  receiving  a  copper  of  them,  and 
considered,  in  my  inventory,  only  what  was  tangible, 
or  what  was  due  from  honest  men. 

A  few  of  my  animals,  or  to  give  their  names,  Lady 
Washington,  Ben  Franklin  and  his  foster-brother,  the 
greyhound,  which  I  called  Rambler,  I  never  for  a 
moment  thought  of  leaving  behind;  but  all  the  rest 
were  taken  down  to  Howard's  ranch,  and  left  with 
the  collection  I  already  had  there.  My  friend  Solon, 
whom  I  endeavored  in  vain  to  prevail  on  to  accom- 
pany me,  had  taken  his  cub,  and  also  several  other 
of  the  captives  of  the  last  expedition,  and  returned 
to  his  home;  but,  in  his  stead,  I  obtained  the  society 
of  an  old  acquaintance,  named  Gray,  a  miner  of 
Chinese  Camp,  who  had  frequently  expressed  a  desire 
to  accompany  me  upon  a  great  hunt.  This  gentle- 
man was  a  Mississippian,  young,  active,  and  hardy. 
Like  most  of  the  miners  of  the  time,  he  wore  a  full 
beard,  mustaches  and  long  hair,  which  gave  him  a 
fine  and  manly  appearance;  and,  as  he  was  an  excel- 
lent hunter  and  a  trustworthy  friend,  I  was  fortunate 
in  securing  his  companionship.  In  relation  to  terms, 
we  soon  came  to  an  understanding  very  much  the 
same  as  that  between  Solon  and  myself;  I  was  to  be 
the  leader  of  the  expedition,  and  direct  all  its  move- 
ments; I  to  receive  two  thirds  of  the  profits,  and  he 
one  third.     I  was  to  provide  a  wagon,  two  oxen  and 


216  PASSAGE    OF   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

two  mules,  which  were  to  remain  my  property;  and 
he  to  join  in  providing  our  outfit  of  ammunition  and 
general  furniture.  He  was  to  have  the  liberty  of 
separating  from  me  at  the  Rocky  Mountains;  and  he 
candidly  gave  me  notice  that  he  should  probably  do 
so,  as  he  desired  to  return  to  his  native  State.  So 
determined  was  he  upon  this  point,  that  he  carried 
with  him  nearly  a  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  gold- 
dust,  which  otherwise,  doubtless,  would  have  swelled 
the  liabilities  of  one  of  those  magnificent  banking 
concerns,  whose  failure,  the  next  winter,  consumed 
the  laborious  earnings  of  so  many  small  proprietors, 
myself  among  the  number. 

While  our  preparations  were  progressing,  the  snow 
having  now  entirely  disappeared  from  the  lower 
portions  of  the  mountains,  the  Indians,  as  was  their 
annual  custom,  came  up  from  the  plains,  and  spread 
themselves  along  the  mountain  streams.  These  mis- 
erable people  I  had  been  accustomed  to  encourage  in 
their  search  for  a  precarious  existence,  and  fre- 
quently would  give  them  a  deer,  or  other  large  game, 
which,  while  it  lasted,  would  afl^ord  them  a  great 
treat;  and  the  poor  creatures  were  truly  grateful  in 
return,  and,  whenever  an  opportunity  afforded,  would 
do  me  any  favor  in  their  power.  When,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  my  mountain  career,  driven  by  a  sort  of 
misanthropy,  as  related  in  the  commencement  of  my 
book,  I  had  foresworn  my  own  color  and  exiled  myself 
to  the  wilderness,  the  contemplation  of  these  lowest 
specimens  of  the  human  family,  and  the  pity  which 
their  extreme  wretchedness  drew   from   me,   reawak- 


PASSAGE    OF   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA.  217 

ened  the  feelings  of  humanity  in  my  breast,  and 
prepared  my  mind  for  a  complete  reconciliation  with 
my  fellows.  Even  these  people,  I  convinced  myself, 
Providence  had  created  for  a  purpose  which,  I  doubted 
not,  they  fulfilled;  and  I  soon  could  not  help  reflect- 
ing that,  whatever  of  evil  or  good  there  was  in  the 
world,  and  whether  they  did  me  harm  or  advantage, 
it  was  the  part  of  philosophy  and  wisdom  to  take 
them  as  they  were,  and  make  the  best  of  them. 
This,  indeed,  is  the  great,  and,  I  may  say,  the  funda- 
mental, lesson  of  life;  and  it  was  thus  and  there,  in 
the  mountains,  that  I  successfully  worked  out  for 
myself  the  great  problem  which  other  men  have  to 
work  out,  each  in  his  own  way,  before  they  can  say 
that  they  live. 

A  number  of  these  Indians,  about  twenty-five  in 
all,  men,  women,  and  children,  were  at  this  time  on 
their  way  across  the  Sierra  to  the  lakes  beyond, 
where  they  proposed  spending  the  summer  in  fishing; 
and,  learning  that  we  were  about  setting  out  in  the 
same  direction,  they  begged  to  be  taken  in  company. 
Anticipating  a  scarcity  of  provisions,  I  at  first  ob- 
jected, but  finally  consented  to  take  them;  and, 
long  before  the  passage  of  the  mountains  was  com- 
pleted, I  had  reason  to  be  gratified  with  my  second 
thought,  for  not  only  did  my  protection  prevent  great 
suffering  among  them,  but  they,  in  return,  were  of 
great  assistance  to  me  and  mine,  as  will  in  a  short 
time  be  seen.  Before  setting  out,  it  was  my  care  to 
see  that  they  had  provided  themselves  with  blankets, 
and  with  such  provisions  in  advance  as,  with  their 


218  PASSAGE   OF   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

bows  and  arrows,  they  could  collect  from  the  country 
about  camp. 

Having  thus  made  all  our  preparations,  in  the  early 
dawn  of  the  appointed  morning  I  roused  the  camp; 
and,  drawing  out  our  old  wagon,  we  placed  in  it  our 
furniture,  yoked  in  the  oxen,  and  hitched  the  mules 
before  them.  Lady  Washington  I  chained  to  the 
hinder  axle-tree;  Ben  and  Rambler,  being  still  too 
young  to  travel,  I  placed  beside  the  goods  in  the 
wagon;  and  the  greyhound  and  Indian  dog  ran  loose. 
The  Indians  took  up  their  position  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance in  the  rear.  We  were  all  in  the  best  of  spirits, 
and  each  had  his  special  cause  of  pleasure:  I  found 
myself  once  more  at  the  head  of  an  adventurous 
expedition;  Gray  felt  that  his  long-cherished  hope 
of  a  great  hunt  was  on  the  eve  of  fulfilment;  Tuo- 
lumne and  Stanislaus  paraded  the  new  revolvers  and 
crimson  scarfs  which  I  had  just  presented  them; 
and  the  Indians  rejoiced  in  the  prospect  of  a  safe 
escort  and  plenty  of  provisions. 

As  the  sun  rose,  we  got  under  way,  and,  travel- 
ling all  day,  encamped  in  the  evening  in  a  little  val- 
ley covered  thick  with  pine  and  fir-trees,  near  the 
head  waters  of  the  middle  fork  of  the  Tuolumne  River. 
We  had  proceeded  with  comparative  ease  the  greater 
part  of  the  day,  but  in  the  afternoon  reached  the 
more  rugged  and  difficult  country,  where,  notwith- 
standing what  was  called  the  Emigration  Road,  there 
could  hardly  be  said  to  be  a  track.  Our  ascent  had 
been  rapid;  and,  at  this  first  camp,  we  were  already 
in  the  midst  of  snow;  so  that  it  was  easy  to  infer 


PASSAGE    OF   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA.  219 

that  the  labors  of  the  passage  were  about  to  com- 
menc^^  Anticipating  difficulties,  I  informed  the  In- 
dians that  I  would  the  next  day  expect  their  assist- 
ance, and  t^aye  them  a  deer,  which  Gray  had  killed 
on  the  road,  as  an  earnest  of  my  care  for  them,  pro- 
vided they  would  be  faithful.  They  assured  me  of 
their  obedience;  and  we  threw  ourselves  into  our 
blankets  by  the  side  of  our  fire. 

The  next  morning,  after  starting  ahead,  the  first 
obstacle  that  opposed  itself  to  our  progress  was  a 
mountain  of  about  three  miles  steep  ascent,  which  was 
covered  with  snow  four  or  five  feet  deep.  The  crust 
of  this  snow  thawed  in  the  daytime  but  froze  again  at 
night;  and,  on  this  account,  it  was  fortunate  that  we 
started  early,  while  the  crust  was  still  hard;  for  as 
the  sun  mounted  in  the  heavens,  it  beat  down  pow- 
erfully, and,  had  we  been  but  a  little  later,  our 
wheels  would  have  broken  through,  and  the  road 
been  entirely  impassable.  Even  as  it  was,  we  did 
not  gain  the  top  of  th^  rise  without  great  difficulty 
and  repeatedly  calling  into  requisition  the  aid  of  the 
Indians,  who  with  ropes  assisted  in  dragging  the  wag- 
on up  the  slopes,  and  pulling  it  over  the  many  obstruc- 
tions which  lay  in  various  places  before  us. 

The  top  of  this  rise  was  the  highest  point  I  had 
ever  visited  upon  this  road;  and  from  here,  having 
no  guide,  we  had  to  choose  out  our  way  as  we  best 
could.  There;  was  much  more  snow  than  was  to 
have  been  expected;  and  I  knew  that,  if  we  should 
be  caught  in  a  storm  in  the  higher  parts  of  the 
mountains    we   might    perish.     In   front   of   us    rose 


220  PASSAGE   OF   THE   SIERRA    NEVADA. 

the  broken  summits  of  the  Sierra,  mountain  over 
mountain,  but  we  pushed  on  as  vigorously  as  possi- 
ble, taking  the  best  road  we  could  find,  and  overcom- 
ing difficulties  as  we  were  best  able.  In  some  places, 
we  were  compelled  to  take  a  circuitous  course  around 
the  mountain-sides,  which  were  frequently  so  steep 
that  it  was  necessary  to  hold  the  wagon  to  prevent  its 
toppling  over;  and  at  last  we  came  to  a  place  so  very 
steep  that  I  considered  it  impracticable  to  support  the 
wagon  in  this  way,  and  we  would  certainly  have  been 
stopped  here,  but,  fortunately,  we  had  several  shovels 
and  pickaxes  in  the  wagon,  which  had  been  provided 
for  digging  out  the  holes  of  animals.  The  idea  that 
they  could  ever  be  of  use  to  make  a  road  in  a  snow- 
bank never  entered  my  head  before,  but  they  now 
stood  me  in  good  stead. 

Turning  to  the  Indians,  I  directed  them  to  lay  off 
their  blankets  and  go  to  work  digging  a  road  in  the 
side  of  the  snow  so  that  the  upper  wheels  of  the 
wagon  might  have  a  kind  of  track  to  run  in.  It  was 
necessary  to  dig  thus  for  the  distance  of  nearly  a 
mile,  but  I  encouraged  the  workers  by  saying  it 
would  be  soon  finished  and  that  they  should  have  all 
the  provisions  they  could  eat  in  the  evening.  With 
this  prospect  ahead  they  all  went  vigorously  to  work, 
men  and  squaws,  with  three  shovels,  two  pickaxes, 
two  axes,  and  a  number  of  pointed  stakes  which  1 
prepared  for  the  purpose.  At  the  same  time  I  di- 
rected two  to  cut  with  hatchets  a  number  of  small 
pieces  of  wood  about  two  feet  long,  which,  as  the 
track  was  dug  out,  we  placed  crosswise  over  it  to  sup- 


PASSAGE    OF    THE    SIERRA    NEVADA.  221 

port  the  wheels  and  prevent  them  from  sinking  too 
deeply  in  the  snow;  and  in  this  manner,  after  four  or 
five  hours'  work,  we  constructed  a  passable  road,  and 
started  ahead.  Being  myself  something  of  a  team- 
ster, I  yelled  at  my  animals  with  great  success  upon 
this  occasion,  and  helped  them  up  the  hill  as  effect- 
ually as  ever  the  best  driver  in  the  world  could  have 
done.  When  we  had  thus  made  the  pass,  feeling 
very  liberal,  I  went  to  the  chest  and  drew  forth  my 
famous  old  leather  bottle,  which  contained  several 
quarts  of  the  best  brandy  of  Sonora,  This  I  had 
taken  along  as  medicine;  but  as  the  Indians  had 
worked  so  faithfully,  I  determined  to  treat,  I  there- 
fore had  the  company  drawn  up  in  a  circle,  and,  pour- 
ing out  drink  after  drink  into  a  tin  cup  and  directing 
Tuolumne  to  follow  with  water  and  Stanislaus  with  the 
sugar  bag,  I  dealt  out  a  fair  drink  to  all, —  braves, 
squaws,  pappooses,  and  all;  not  enough  to  intoxicate, 
but  sufficient  to  make  all  feel  lively,  —  the  brandy  be- 
ing high-proof,  and  a  pint  of  it  better  than  half  a  gal- 
lon of  the  ordinary  liquor  of  the  saloons.  Having 
thus  completed  the  circle,  finding  there  was  not  more 
than  a  quart  left,  I  looked  up  to  heaven  and  made  a 
vow  that  the  remainder  should  be  kept  inviolate,  ex- 
cept in  case  of  sickness  or  urgent  necessity. 

We  then  proceeded  on  our  way  a  mile  further  over 
very  rough  places,  with  plenty  of  snow  to  trouble  us, 
and,  as  it  grew  dark,  determined  to  camp  under  a 
huge  pine-tree.  It  was  so  very  cold  and  inhospitable 
that  we  resolved  to  allow  the  Indians  to  camp  with  us; 
and,  accordingly,  set  them  to  digging  out  a  large  circle 


222  PASSAGE   OF   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

of  snow  around  the  tree,  and  bringing  in  all  the  fire- 
wood they  could  gather  in  the  neighborhood.  These 
improvident  creatures  usually  build  very  small  fires, 
however  inclement  the  weather  may  be;  for  the  rea- 
son, perhaps,  that  they  do  not  relish  the  work  of  col- 
lecting sufficient  fuel;  and  I  soon  found  that  we  could 
not  have  a  good  fire  without  providing  more  than  the 
sticks  and  boughs  which  they  brought  in.  Gray  and 
I,  therefore,  took  our  axes,  cut  several  dry  pine  logs, 
and  thus  soon  had  a  large  pile  of  excellent  wood  and 
a  rousing  fire,  at  which  we  all  sat  down  and  roasted 
an  immense  quantity  of  venison;  none  too  much,  how- 
ever, for  the  ravenous  crowd  around  it.  After  supper, 
I  went  to  the  old  chest  again  and  took  out  half  a 
dozen  plugs  of  tobacco,  which  I  distributed  among  the 
Indians;  and  they  well  knew  the  use  of  it,  —  all  under- 
standing how  to  smoke,  and  most  of  those  who  had 
been  contaminated  by  contact  with  the  white  man, 
being  acquainted  with  the  mysteries  of  chewing. 

The  night  was  intensely  cold,  but  the  moon  shone 
and  the  stars  twinkled  with  a  remarkable  brilliancy, 
and  for  a  long  time  none  of  the  party  felt  disposed  to 
sleep.  This  being  the  case,  we  soon  got  the  Indians 
to  singing,  dancing,  and  whooping;  and  a  jolly  good 
time  we  had  of  it  till  very  late,  when  I  ordered  them 
to  their  blankets,  and  they  rolled  themselves  up  in  a 
promiscuous  huddle,  men,  women  and  children,  —  all 
together.  This  sort  of  bundling  would  not  be  relished 
by  more  advanced  people;  but  among  the  Diggers 
there  appears  to  be  no  harm;  and  it  is  even  said  by 
some  that,  except  at  certain  periods  of  the  year,  just 


PASSAGE    OF   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA.  223 

as  among  animals,  there  is  no  disposition  of  the  sexes 
towards  each  other;  —  hut  this  wants  confirmation. 
That  they  do  approach  the  nature  of  mere  animals  in 
some  respects  cannot  be  disputed.  After  they  were 
all  fairly  rolled  together,  I  ordered  them  to  lie  still 
and  not  move  about  during  the  night;  and  then,  leav- 
ing Gray  on  guard,  I  myself  tried  to  sleep;  but  my 
repose  was  brief,  for  in  a  short  time  the  whole  moun- 
tain resounded  with  the  cries  and  howls  of  panthers, 
wolves  and  coyotes,  attracted  by  the  scent  of  our 
cooking,  and  it  required  not  only  Gray,  but  myself 
and  Tuolumne,  to  keep  them  out  of  our  camp. 

Towards  morning,  a  gang  of  wolves,  which  seemed 
more  determined  than  ordinary,  approached  and  came 
up  within  a  few  yards  of  us.  I  raised  my  rifle  to 
fire;  but  they  fell  back  at  the  movement,  and  sitting 
down  at  a  little  distance  howled  in  a  most  saucy  and 
insulting  manner.  In  a  few  minutes,  emboldened  by 
their  own  impudence,  five  or  six  of  them  again  ap- 
proached in  a  body,  when,  taking  as  good  aim  as  we 
could  Tuolumne  and  I  fired  upon  them;  and  the 
cowardly  thieves  turned  their  tails  and  fled.  Even 
the  panthers  and  coyotes  took  the  alarm,  and  in  a 
short  time  all  was  quiet  again.  x\s  daylight  ap- 
proached, we  went  out  towards  where  they  had  been, 
and  found  one  of  the  wolves  with  a  broken  spine. 
My  bowie-knife  soon  put  an  end  to  his  earthly  career. 
We  then  rambled  a  little  further,  finding  that  the 
dogs  were  much  excited,  evidently  on  some  fresh  trail; 
and,  in  a  few  minutes,  started  up  a  panther.  The 
dogs  pursued;  and,  in  a  short  distance,  being  hardly 


224  PASSAGE    OF    THE   SIERRA    NEVADA. 

pressed  and  worse  scared,  he  ran  up  a  pine-tree,  from 
which  he  grinned  and  growled  at  us  in  a  very  fero- 
cious manner.  With  the  remembrance  of  our  dis- 
turbed sleep,  we  felt  just  as  ferocious  as  he  appeared; 
and,  after  breathing  a  moment.  Gray  and  I  fired,  both 
at  the  same  time  and  with  double  effect;  Gray  bored 
the  heart  and  I  the  head.  The  panther  fell  dead,  and, 
taking  him,  each  by  a  leg,  we  dragged  his  body  into 
camp;  and,  being  in  want  of  fresh  provisions,  threw 
him  into  the  wagon  for  future  use. 

In  the  meanwhile,  the  boys  had  prepared  break- 
fast; and,  after  partaking  of  it,  and  watering  our 
animals  by  melting  snow  in  all  the  available  utensils, 
we  started  ahead  again.  Our  road  now  lay  up 
through  a  canon  which,  in  many  places,  was  so  nar- 
row that  it  barely  afforded  room  for  the  wagon  to 
pass.  With  pulling  and  hauling,  however,  we  man- 
aged to  advance,  until  we  came  to  a  spot  where  the 
rocks  jutted  so  far  out  from  the  opposite  sides  that 
there  was  absolutely  no  room  to  get  past.  The  fact 
was,  that  we  had  missed  the  road  and  got  out  of  the 
way;  but  the  place  was  of  such  a  kind  that  to  turn 
back  was  impracticable,  and  nothing  remained  but  to 
uncouple  our  wagon  and  lug  the  parts  through.  We 
accordingly  put  all  the  Indians  at  work,  carrying  por- 
tions of  the  luggage  through  the  pass;  and  in  the 
course  of  an  hour  or  so  the  task  was  accomplished, 
and  we  were  ready  for  a  new  start.  All  this  time 
the  snow  had  been  melting,  and  our  progress  grew 
continually  more  slow  and  difficult.  Coming  to  a 
steep  place,  we  were  again  compelled  to  unload  and 


PASSAGE   OF   THE   SIERRA    NEVADA.  225 

carry  the  greater  part  of  our  luggage  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  up  the  declivity;  then,  again,  we  progressed, 
and,  by  pulling  and  tugging,  worked  our  way  around 
towards  the  more  northern  side  of  the  mountain, 
where  the  snow  was  firmer,  and  afforded  a  better  road. 
Those  who  have  never  attempted  the  passage  of  a 
snowy  mountain  will  hardly  appreciate  the  difficulties 
we  encountered  this  day.  We  felt  them  in  all  our 
bones,  and,  when  we  camped  at  night,  were  almost 
worn  out  with  fatigue  and  exhaustion. 

For  supper,  this  evening,  we  served  up  the  panther- 
meat,  and  found  that  it  tasted  well  when  roasted  be- 
fore the  fire.  We  were  now  withiai  a  few  mHes  of  the 
summit  of  the  Sierra,  and,  as  no  game  was  to  be 
looked  for  in  that  freezing  region  at  this  time  of  year, 
the  fear  of  running  out  of  provisions  for  our  large 
company  gave  the  unusual  meat  a  relish  which,  per- 
haps, it  might  not  have  had  in  the  midst  of  plenty. 
This  night  we  neither  danced  nor  yelled,  as  we  had 
done  the  previous  one,  but  were  very  glad  to  sleep. 

The  next  morning,  before  dawn,  we  took  our  posts 
again,  so  as  to  reach  the  summit  as  early  as  possible; 
but  some  of  the  Indians  complained  of  blistered 
hands,  and  did  not  feel  disposed  to  do  much.  Upon 
examination,  I  found  the  complaints  to  be  true,  much 
as  it  surprised  me;  but  there  was  no  help  for  it,  and 
all  that  could  be  done  was  to  press  the  sound  ones 
into  service;  and  with  some  encouragement,  being 
told  that  this  would  be  the  last  day  of  hard  work, 
they  took  hold,  and  we  advanced  up  the  last  rise. 
Before  noon,  all  the  Indians  had  their  hands  blistered: 


226  PASSAGE   OF   THE    SIERRA    NEVADA. 

and  therefore,  though  the  snow  was  hard,  we  were 
compelled,  as  a  last  resource,  not  being  able  to  pull 
any  more,  to  unhitch  and  pack  the  luggage  on  the 
backs  of  our  mules  to  the  summit,  and  then,  return- 
ing with  them,  pull  up  the  empty  wagon  afterwards. 
All  this  took  till  after  dark,  nor  were  we  then 
through  with  the  day's  work;  for,  as  the  mountain- 
top  was  bare,  we  had  to  run  down  on  the  eastern 
slope  a  mile  or  two,  to  reach  a  spot  which  afforded 
firewood,  and  there  we  camped.  As  our  labors  were 
now  nearly  over,  we  were  all  this  night  in  excellent 
spirits  again,  cheerful  and  vivacious;  and  we  promised 
ourselves  a  day  or  two  of  sport  on  reaching  the  base 
of  the  mountains,  to  luxuriate  among  good  game  and 
recruit  our  strength. 


DOWN    THE    EASTERN    SLOPE.  227 


CHAPTER  V. 

DOWN   THE    EASTERN    SLOPE. 

Pleasure  of  Difficulties  surmounted.  Deeds  of  great  Captains.  Mag- 
nificent Prospect  from  the  Summit.  A  Trading-post.  Wrecks 
of  the  Emigration.  The  downward  Road.  The  eastern  Foot- 
hills. Hunting  in  the  eastern  Foot-hills.  Plans  for  an  Antelope 
Slaughter.  Our  Success.  Indian  Arrows  and  Archery.  Tuo- 
lumne's Adventure  with  a  Bear.  Profusion  of  Provisions.  Ar- 
rival  of   Stanislaus.     The    Feast   of   Gladness.     My   last   Shuffle. 

There  is  a  pleasure  in  great  difficulties  surmounted 
so  exquisite  that  generous  and  ardent  souls  often  un- 
dertake great  works  solely  for  the  gratification  of 
overcoming  their  obstacles  and  enjoying  the  inspirit- 
ing after-thought.  Great  captains  have  crossed  great 
mountains,  as  the  histories  tell  us,  and  gained  great 
applause,  and  the  meed  of  praise  is  doubtless  due 
for  their  magnanimous  plans,  for  the  weighty  respon- 
sibilities they  bore,  and  the  success  which  attended 
their  efforts;  but  little,  indeed,  could  have  been  their 
own  toil  in  those  great  undertakings.  It  was  the 
engineers,  and  the  hard-fisted,  brawny-backed  sol- 
diers, the  unsung  and  unremembered  many,  not  the 
deified  one,  who  sustained  the  real  labor.  I  claim  no 
great  credit  for  leading  my  army  over  the  California 
Alps;  but  perhaps  my  difficulties  were,  in  proportion, 
as  great  as  ever  were  those  of  Hannibal  or  Napoleon. 
Had  I  commanded  a  larger  party,  and  disdained  to 


228  DOWN   THE    EASTERN    SLOPE. 

bend  my  own  back  to  the  task, —  or  better  still,  had 
I  fallen  upon  the  valleys  at  the  eastern  base  of  the 
Sierra  with  carnage  and  blood,  I  too  might  have 
gained  a  niche  in  the  temple  of  fame,  and  my  pas- 
sage of  the  snowy  mountains  might  have  lived  in 
story.  But  my  mission  was  a  peaceful  and  an  hum- 
ble one,  and  what  I  accomplished  was  the  work  of 
my  own  hands. 

The  next  morning  dawned  upon  a  scene  beautiful 
and  grand  beyond  description.  Having  passed  the 
summit  in  the  night,  we  returned  to  the  highest  point, 
and  arrived  there  in  time  to  behold  the  sun  rise. 
Not  a  cloud  obscured  the  sky,  and  the  ridges  of  the 
Sierra,  far  to  the  north  and  far  to  the  south,  glittered 
in  their  snowy  mantles,  which,  as  the  sun  rose,  were 
flushed  with  crimson.  To  the  west,  faint  in  the  dis- 
tance, lay  the  plains  of  California;  to  the  east,  far 
away  stretched  hill  and  dale,  Hghted  up  with  the  rus- 
set tints  of  morning.  So  enchanting  were  the  views 
that  we  remained  full  an  hour  enjoying  the  magnifi- 
cent prospect,  cold  as  it  was;  and  then,  hitching  up 
our  animals  and  placing  lock-chains  upon  the  hinder 
wheels  of  our  wagon,  we  ran  down  the  trail  till 
towards  evening,  when  we  camped  for  the  night. 

There  was,  at  this  stopping-place,  a  log-house  built 
by  traders  from  Sonora,  who,  the  previous  summer, 
had  crossed  the  mountains  with  goods  to  trade  with 
the  immigrants;  but,  at  this  time,  as  the  regular 
trains  could  not  be  expected  until  fall,  the  place  was 
vacant.  On  all  sides  lay  old  axle-trees  and  wheels, 
some  broken,  some  perfect,  melancholy  evidences  of 


DOWN    THE    EASTERN    SLOPE.  229 

(he  last  season's  disasters.  There  were  also  some 
complete  wagons  lying  abandoned,  and  Gray  pro- 
posed that  we  should  pick  out  a  lighter  one  than  our 
own.  At  first  I  thought  of  following  his  advice;  but,  on 
second  thought,  I  replied,  no,  —  that  the  wagons  were 
not  mine,  and  somebody  might  yet  claim  them:  ours 
was  good  enough,  and  we  would  certainly  be  much 
more  at  ease  with  it  than  with  another,  which  might 
be  claimed  at  any  time  by  somebody  else.  Without 
disturbing  the  wrecks,  therefore,  we  merely  passed 
among  them,  wondering  to  whom  they  had  belonged, 
and  what  difficulties  had  induced  the  owners,  after 
crossing  so  great  an  extent  of  country  and  arriving 
at  the  very  threshold  of  the  promised  land,  to  cast 
them  aside,  and  leave  them  to  rot  and  ruin.  They 
induced  much  the  same  kind  of  reflections  as  are  pro- 
duced by  the  sight  of  a  wrecked  ship,  which,  upon 
entering  port  from  a  long  voyage,  drives  against  the 
rocks,  and  is  broken  to  pieces  by  the  merciless  surges. 
From  this  place  we  proceeded  the  next  day,  not 
without  difficulty  at  many  places,  but  with  vigor  and 
emergy,  into  canons  and  out  of  canons,  over  hills  and 
down  declivities,  until  afternoon,  when  we  ran  out  of 
the  snow  entirely.  The  country  was  well  timbered. 
We  passed  on  till  night,  and  camped  in  what  may  be 
called  the  eastern  foot-hills,  where  we  found  dried 
grass  of  the  previous  year,  and,  here  and  there,  new 
grass  springing  up;  so  that,  turning  our  animals  out 
to  pasture,  we  determined  to  lay  over  and  spend  a 
day  hunting.  And  it  was,  indeed,  full  time;  for  this 
evening  our  stock  of  provisions  ran  short,  and  over 


230  DOWN    THE    EASTERN    SLOPE. 

thirty  of  us  were  in  an  unknown  country,  with  only 
about  fifty  pounds  of  dried  meat,  a  bag  of  flour,  half 
a  bag  of  Indian  meal,  and  a  little  sugar  and  coffee. 

Our  first  day's  hunt  east  of  the  Sierra  gave  us  no 
reason  to  be  dissatisfied.  Gray  prophesied  failure; 
but  I  was  confident,  from  the  appearance  of  the  coun- 
try, that  game  must  be  abundant,  and  that  we  could 
not  be  far  distant  from  plenty.  At  all  events,  neces- 
sity impelled  us  to  do  our  utmost,  —  for  without  relief 
we  would  have  been  in  a  bad  situation  indeed.  I 
accordingly  mustered  all  our  force,  and  found  that, 
besides  my  own  party  of  well-armed  reliable  hunters, 
there  were  twelve  Indians  provided  with  good  bows 
and  arrows.  These  I  divided;  and  sending  out  six, 
With  Tuolumne  at  their  head  and  a  mule  to  bear  their 
game,  towards  the  northeast;  and  Stanislaus,  with 
four  and  a  mule,  towards  the  southeast;  I  took  the 
other  two,  with  Lady  Washington,  and  proceeded 
eastward  down  the  hills.  Gray  remained  behind  to 
take  care  of  the  camp,  in  which  were  left  several  old  In- 
dians, the  squaws,  children,  oxen,  and  pets. 

I  proceeded  with  my  party  several  miles,  when 
suddenly,  in  a  region  of  scrubby  oaks,  cedars  and 
juniper  bushes,  we  came  upon  a  band  of  fifteen  or 
twenty  antelopes.  Tying  the  Lady  to  a  tree,  I  in- 
structed the  Indians  how  to  creep  around  and  decoy 
them, —  and  they  started  oiT  to  make  a  surround. 
Having  waited  long  enough  to  enable  them  to  accom- 
plish the  purpose,  I  advanced,  and,  mounting  a  knoll, 
beheld  one  of  the  Indians  lying  flat  upon  the  ground 
and  moving  his  cap  gently  on  a  stick,  endeavoring  to 


DOWN    THE  EASTERN    SLOPE.  231 

decoy  the  animals,  which  were  not  far  distant;  and 
so  well  did  he  work  the  plan  that,  although  myself 
within  rifle-shot,  I  remained  quiet,  with  the  determi- 
nation of  giving  him  the  first  shot. 

The  antelopes  stood  looking  at  his  cap,  and  ap- 
proached by  degrees  until  they  got  within  eight  or  ten 
yards,  when,  drawing  his  bow,  the  Indian  sent  an  ar- 
row into  the  side  of  one  of  them.  As  he  remained 
concealed,  the  remainder  of  the  band  did  not  offer  to 
fly,  and  he  soon  shot  a  second  arrow  and  a  third;  but 
without  looking  to  see  any  more,  as  a  fine  buck  stood 
before  me,  I  now  levelled  my  rifle  and  fired.  At  the 
discharge,  the  band  wheeled  and  looked  towards  me, 
and,  as  they  did  so,  I  raised  a  red  Mexican  sash 
which  I  wore  about  my  waist.  While  they  gazed 
curiously  upon  it,  the  Indian  continued  throwing  his 
arrows  thick  and  fast;  but  the  band,  not  knowing 
whence  they  came,  and  attracted  solely  by  the  flam- 
ing sash,  continued  to  advance, —  except  the  wound- 
ed, which  pranced  around  where  they  were,  or  tried 
to  get  away.  As  soon  as  reloaded,  I  fired  a  second 
time,  and  pierced  a  fine  buck  through  the  heart;  but 
the  fire  and  smoke  alarmed  the  other  animals,  and  they 
turned  and  ran.  Only  one  lay  dead;  but  there  were 
three  wounded,  and,  pursuing,  we  soon  killed  two  of 
them.  The  third  we  followed  a  long  distance,  but  after 
a  long  search  were  compelled  to  return  without  him. 
Upon  getting  back  to  the  antelopes,  we  ripped 
them  up,  and,  lifting  the  skin  from  the  thigh  of  one, 
cut  out  some  choice  steaks;  and  the  Indian  having 
meanwhile  built  a  fire,  we  soon  satisfied  our  hunger. 


232  DOWN   THE    EASTERN   SLOPE. 

Packing  the  rest  upon  Lady  Washington,  we  then 
started  back  to  camp,  and  on  the  way  overtook  the 
second  Indian,  who  had  killed  several  hares,  an  eagle, 
and  several  crows.  These  Indians  used  arrows  tipped 
with  flint  or  obsidian,  and  could  easily  kill  the  smaller 
kinds  of  game;  but  such  weapons  were  not  so  effec- 
tive with  larger  species,  though  one  of  the  wounded 
antelopes  had  been  pierced  entirely  through  with  a 
shaft. 

When  we  got  back  to  camp,  Tuolumne  and  his 
party  had  already  come  in,  and  brought  with  them  the 
body  of  a  brown  bear  and  a  number  of  hares  and 
birds,  such  as  grouse,  magpies,  crows,  and  hawks. 
In  giving  his  account  of  the  bear,  Tuolumne  said  that 
he  had  met  it  early  in  the  day.  He  had  fired  and 
wounded  it,  when  the  beast  showed  fight,  and  four  of 
the  Indians  ran.  The  other  two,  however,  stood  by 
him  like  men,  and  pestered  the  beast  with  their  ar- 
rows till  he  was  able  to  reload;  and  with  a  second 
shot  he  finished  the  business.  As  for  Stanislaus  and 
his  party,  they  had  not  yet  arrived;  but,  even  with- 
out w^hat  they  might  be  expected  to  bring,  we  now 
had  plenty.  Thus  it  was  that,  although  in  the  morn- 
ing we  started  out  almost  destitute,  and  with  starva- 
tion staring  us  in  the  face,  by  good  management  and 
prompt  action  we  had  quite  a  market  of  game  before 
the  sun  set;  —  indeed  plenty  smiled  around  us  in 
those  heaps  of  bear-meat,  antelopes,  hares,  and  birds. 
In  thankfulness  for  our  good  fortune,  and  to  show  an 
appropriate  gratefulness,  I  ordered  a  rousing  fire  to 
be  built  and  a  feast  to  be  spread;  and  at  the  same 


DOWN    THE   EASTERN    SLOPE.  233 

time  directed  the  Indians  to  clear  two  rings,  and  pre- 
pare for  the  dance  of  gladness. 

While  all  this  was  going  on,  I  discharged  my  rifle 
as  a  signal  for  Stanislaus,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
report  was  answered  from  the  hills  to  the  southeast. 
In  a  short  time  afterwards,  Stanislaus  and  his  party 
made  their  appearance,  with  their  mule  loaded  with 
two  deer  and  a  third  lot  of  hares  and  birds;  so  that, 
if  we  had  plenty  of  provisions  before,  we  now  had  pro- 
fusion. In  jolly  good  mood  did  we  then  sit  down  to 
our  feast  of  roasted  dainties.  When  we  had  de- 
spatched them,  the  Indians  began  their  dancing;  and 
such  a  whooping  and  shouting  and  kicking  up  of  heels 
I  rarely  ever  saw;  and  the  sport  was  kept  up  with 
various  amusing  episodes  till  a  late  hour.  Even  Gray 
took  part  in  the  dance;  and  it  furnished  me  with  the 
most  lively  amusement  to  watch  him  with  his  hoe- 
down  step  in  the  character  of  an  Indian  brave.  Once, 
indeed,  they  induced  me  to  get  up  for  a  few  moments, 
and  I  showed  them  how  the  Yankees  used  to  dance 
when  I  was  a  boy;  but  my  gray  head  and  long  white 
beard  ill-comported  with  the  lightness  of  my  heels, 
and  the  Indians,  and  particularly  the  squaws,  almost 
burst  with  laughter  at  the  figure  I  made,  so  that  I 
soon  resumed  my  seat  and  my  old  pipe,  fully  satisfied 
that  my  dancing  days  were  over. 


234  walkek's  river  country. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

walker's  river  country. 

Our  Progress.  Hunting  on  the  Way.  Camp  on  the  Barrens.  Pro- 
visions. Over  the  Barrens.  Walker's  River.  Vultures.  The 
California  Condor.  Preparations  for  Camp.  A  strange  Sight. 
A  Horse  run  wild.  Night  Alarm.  A  Bear  in  Camp.  Attack 
upon  the  Bear.  The  Bear  among  the  Indians.  Slaying  of  the 
Bear.  Plan  to  inveigle  the  Horse.  His  Capture.  Building  of 
a   Raft.     Ferriage.     Parting  with   the  Indians. 

The  next  day  we  travelled  on,  following  the  emi- 
gration trail,  and  in  the  evening  camped  with  good 
grass  and  water;  and  the  succeeding  day  we  pro- 
ceeded on,  in  hopes  of  reaching  Walker's  River,  at 
which  the  Indians  were  to  leave  us.  On  starting, 
this  day,  I  sent  Gray,  Tuolumne,  and  a  number  of 
the  Indians  in  different  directions,  with  orders  to  kill 
all  the  game  they  could;  for  I  wished  to  leave  the 
Indians  well  provided,  as  they  had  been  of  valuable 
service  to  us.  The  parties  were  to  go  a  mile  or  two 
on  opposite  sides  of  the  road  and  advance  parallel  to 
it,  while  I  also  undertook  to  hunt  as  we  proceeded. 
Having  made  this  disposition  of  the  forces,  I  drove 
leisurely  on,  and,  in  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two, 
perceived  a  band  of  antelopes  crossing  the  road  in 
advance.  Giving  the  charge  of  the  wagon  to  Stanis- 
laus, I  went  forward,  but  could  kill  only  one.  Throw- 
ing it  in  the  wagon,  I  then  took  up  the  whip  again; 


walker's  river  country.  235 

and  we  travelled  on  till  the  middle  of  the  afternoon, 
when,  coming  to  a  ravine  with  water  and  good  grass, 
we  determined  to  camp,  though  we  had  not  yet 
reached  the  river. 

The  place  of  our  camp  this  evening  was  a  hard,  dry 
country,  without  trees;  and  there  was  no  wood,  except 
drift  which  had  been  brought  down  by  torrents  from 
the  mountains,  and  sage  bushes  which  already  began 
to  form  a  feature  in  the  landscape.  As  soon  as  we 
unhitched,  I  put  the  Indians  to  gathering  what  sticks 
were  to  be  picked  up  for  a  fire;  and,  leaving  Stanis- 
laus in  charge  of  camp,  I  sallied  out  with  Lady  Wash- 
ington for  an  evening  hunt.  In  a  short  distance  I 
fell  in  with  a  band  of  antelopes,  and  killed  two;  and 
soon  afterwards  met  Gray  and  his  party,  who  had 
also  two  antelopes,  besides  two  wolves  and  a  number 
of  hares  and  squirrels.  Upon  getting  back  to  camp, 
Tuolumne  and  his  party  had  arrived,  bringing  one 
antelope,  a  lot  of  hares  and  squirrels,  and  a  number 
of  sage-hens,  making  in  all  a  fair  supply  of  provisions. 

We  were  on  the  way  again  early  the  next  morn- 
ing, when,  seeing  that  everything  was  in  proper  order, 
I  left  Gray  to  drive,  and,  taking  Tuolumne  and  the 
Lady,  started  on  in  advance,  so  as  to  hunt  as  far  as 
Walker's  River,  and  wait  there  for  the  team.  The 
country,  as  we  proceeded,  became  more  and  more 
sandy  and  level,  and  we  could  see  a  long  distance. 
There  were  no  bushes,  save  a  little  sage  and  weeds, 
and  no  game,  save  squirrels  and  prairie-dogs.  After 
travelling  seven  or  eight  miles,  we  came  at  last  in 
sight  of  the   timber  of   Walker's   River,   which  was 


236  walker's  river  country. 

eight  or  ten  miles  ahead.     We  travelled  on,  and,  upon 
approaching  it,  again  met  antelopes  and  killed  two. 

Walker's  River,  where  we  struck  it,  is  usually  nearly 
a  hundred  yards  wide,  and  deep,  though  fordable  in  the 
summer  time.  The  surface  of  the  water  is  considera- 
bly lower  than  the  surrounding  plain.  Timber  is  dis- 
posed in  belts  about  half  a  mile  wide  along  its  banks, 
and  consists  generally  of  cotton-wood,  button-wood, 
ash,  birch,  and  black  alder.  In  this  timber,  at  the 
time  of  our  visit,  there  were  great  numbers  of  vul- 
tures and  buzzards,  which  made  the  trees  look  almost 
black,  until  we  killed  the  antelopes  above  referred  to, 
when  the  birds  took  wing,  sailed  around  us  in  circles, 
now  and  then  darted  down,  and  indeed  seemed  deter- 
mined to  take  the  meat  by  storm.  Some  were  very 
large,  —  one  in  particular,  which  was  of  the  species 
sometimes  called  the  California  condor.  As  he 
was  sailing  in  grand  style,  with  a  majestic  swoop, 
like  a  king  of  the  vultures,  I  determined  to  kill  him; 
and,  seizing  the  opportunity  as  he  swept  towards  me, 
fired  and  broke  his  wing,  so  that  he  wheeled  to  the 
ground.  We  then  approached,  but  he  was  so  savage 
that  he  darted  at  us  with  the  most  ferocious  energy; 
and,  not  liking  to  test  the  strength  of  his  powerful 
beak,  I  directed  Tuolumne  to  put  a  pistol-ball  into 
his  head,  which  he  did.  After  this,  we  made  prep- 
arations for  a  camp;  but  as  yet,  there  was  no  appear- 
ance of  our  company  although  we  could  see  four  or 
five  miles  over  the  plain.  We  waited  some  time; 
but  as  they  still  did  not  come,  we  took  our  rifles  and 
went  out  to  meet  them. 


walker's  river  country.  237 

It  was  now  approaching  evening  and  becoming 
dusky.  As  we  passed  along  a  few  miles  from  the 
river,  our  attention  was  attracted  to  a  large  object 
nearly  a  mile  to  our  right,  which  we  could  not  make 
out.  It  looked  as  if  it  might  be  a  buffalo,  but  still  the 
shape  was  singular,  and  for  a  long  time  we  were  not 
able  to  conjecture  what  it  could  be.  The  most  famil- 
iar things,  sometimes,  under  certain  circumstances, 
assume  strange  shapes,  and  when  we  have  found  them 
out,  we  are  astonished  that  they  could  ever  thus  have 
excited  our  wonder;  and  so  it  was  in  this  instance; 
for  upon  approaching  the  animal,  which  I  had  almost 
thought  an  elephant,  it  proved  to  be  only  a  horse, 
which,  doubtless,  had  been  left  by  some  hapless  em- 
igrant, or  had  broken  from  some  passing  drove  the 
previous  season.  We  tried  to  approach  him,  but  he 
was  too  wild;  and  we  therefore  left  him  for  the 
time,  and  proceeded  on  to  our  company,  which  we 
soon  met;  and,  returning  with  them  to  the  river, 
made  our  camp  on  its  bank,  and,  being  all  fatigued 
with  the  day's  labor,  turned  into  our  blankets  at  an 
early  hour. 

We  were  troubled  this  night  again  by  the  howling 
of  wolves  and  coyotes;  and  about  midnight.  Gray, 
who  was  on  watch,  woke  me  up  to  say  that  he  heard 
footsteps,  and  feared  an  attack  of  Indians;  and 
wished  to  know  whether  he  should  not  put  out  the 
fire,  so  as  to  blind  the  enemy.  I  answered,  by  all 
means  not  to  do  so;  for  the  Indians,  if  such  there 
were,  could  certainly  see  much  better  than  we  in  the 
dark.     I  then  arose,  and  went  with  him  to  his  post 


238  walker's  river  country. 

and  heard  the  footsteps;  but  soon  perceived  that  they 
were  made,  not  by  Indians,  but  by  beasts.  "Now," 
said  I,  "if  I  am  right,  a  whistle  will  tell  the  tale." 
Preparing  my  arms,  I  then  gave  a  sharp,  startling 
whistle;  and  it  was  immediately  answered  by  a  snort 
of  a  bear,  which  was  but  a  short  distance  off,  though 
we  could  not  see  him.  He  had  evidently  come  to 
procure  a  supper  from  our  supplies;  and,  after  a  little 
reflection,  I  determined  to  allow  him  a  good  square 
meal,  and  then  give  him  the  dessert. 

Our  game  lay  by  a  stump  near  where  we  stood, 
but,  to  give  the  bear  an  opportunity  to  approach,  if 
he  dared,  we  removed,  and  took  up  our  positions  be- 
hind trees  a  little  further  off.  The  way  being  thus 
left  clear,  the  bear  soon  approached  the  meat,  and, 
sitting  leisurely  down,  began  enjoying  himself,  and 
smacking  his  chaps  over  the  luscious  morsels.  He 
sat  with  his  back  towards  us,  so  that  we  could  not 
procure  aim;  nor  indeed  was  there  light  enough  to 
enable  us  to  do  so  at  any  rate.  To  do  the  best  under 
the  circumstances,  however,  I  again  uttered  the  bear- 
yell;  and,  as  he  rose  and  looked  towards  us,  we  simul- 
taneously fired,  and  bored  him  through  the  middle. 

During  all  this  time,  the  Indians,  who  were  camped 
close  by,  sat  in  great  trepidation,  and  it  was  as  much 
as  Tuolumne  could  do  to  keej)  them  quiet.  But,  as 
soon  as  the  shots  were  fired,  they  commenced  jabber- 
ing like  a  flock  of  blackbirds,  and  got  up  to  come 
towards  us;  when  the  bear,  not  yet  dead,  rushed  into 
their  midst,  and  began  pawing  right  and  left.  For  a 
moment  or  two  the  scene,  or  as  much  as  could  be 


walker's  river  country.  239 

seen  of  it,  was  altogether  indescribable.  The  bear 
managed  to  get  an  Indian  down,  and  bite  him  terribly 
in  the  thigh,  and  the  poor  fellow  roared  and  yelled  for 
pain;  but  as  Gray  and  I  rushed  up  on  both  sides  and 
plied  our  knives,  we  soon  made  the  enemy  loosen  his 
hold  and  roll  over  dead,  —  though,  in  the  encounter,  I 
received  a  severe  wound  in  the  left  arm,  and  the  In- 
dian was  grievously  hurt. 

The  next  day,  we  laid  a  plan  to  capture  the  horse 
which  we  had  seen  on  the  plain  the  previous  evening; 
and,  for  this  purpose,  put  a  number  of  the  Indians  to 
work  making  a  small  corral,  or  brush  inclosure,  near 
where,  as  we  could  see  by  the  tracks,  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  come  for  water.  Putting  the  oxen  and  a 
mule  in  it  as  a  decoy,  I  sent  Tuolumne  with  the  other 
mule  to  endeavor  to  drive  the  horse  in;  but  all  his 
efforts  were  vain,  for  the  animal,  whenever  disturbed, 
would  run  off  towards  the  mountains.  As  thus  this 
manoeuvre  did  not  succeed,  we  waited  until  evening, 
when,  taking  a  small  party,  I  went  out  myself;  and 
by  forming  a  semicircle  and  moving  gently  forwards, 
we  drove  the  horse  before  us,  and  finally  he  walked 
into  the  corral,  as  we  wished.  He  had  barely  entered 
it,  when  we  threw  several  lariats  over  his  head  and 
secured  him.  He  proved  to  be  a  good  American 
horse,  six  or  seven  years  old,  wearing  the  galls  of 
harness,  but  high-spirited  enough  to  protect  himself 
from  the  assaults  of  wild  beasts;  from  all  which  I 
inferred  that  he  had  been  abandoned  by  some  emi- 
grant as  worn  out,  but  had  recuperated  and  managed 
to  live  through  the  winter. 


240  walker's  river  country. 

In  the  meanwhile,  having  inspected  the  river  and 
found  it  too  deep  to  ford,  on  account  of  the  floods 
from  the  melting  snows  of  the  mountains,  we  made  a 
raft  of  cotton-w^ood  and  prepared  to  cross  the  next 
morning.  When  morning  came,  we  gave  all  our 
game,  with  the  exception  of  a  couple  of  days'  suffi- 
ciency for  ourselves,  to  the  Indians,  with  whom  we 
were  here  to  part;  it  being  their  purpose  to  go  down 
the  river  to  the  lake,  and  spend  the  season  in  fishing 
there,  while  our  course  was  to  cross  the  stream  and 
strike  over  to  Carson's  River.  Two  of  the  Indians 
desired  to  go  with  us,  and,  as  they  were  active  young 
fellows,  I  consented;  but  the  rest  we  left  upon  the 
bank,  watching  our  movements  as  we  ferried  our 
wagon  and  baggage  over  the  stream,  and  evidently 
wishing  that  we  had  remained,  to  provide  them  with 
venison  and  bear-meat. 


"T     A        I  00  VI  S 


THE   PANTHER. 


THE   HUMBOLDT    MOUNTAINS.  241 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   HUMBOLDT    MOUNTAINS. 

From  Walker's  to  Carson's  River.  Two  Days  upon  the  Barrens.  Car- 
son's River.  Down  Carson's  River  to  the  Bend.  Passage  of  the 
River.  Adrift.  Disposition  of  the  Raft.  Over  the  Plains.  A 
sinking  Stream.  The  Mountain  Barrier.  A  Mountain  Valley. 
Review  of  Travel.  The  Pets.  Character  of  the  Mountains. 
Tracks  of  Panthers.  A  Gorge  of  Caves.  The  Valley  of  Sinbad 
the  Sailor.  A  Night-watch,  Discovery  of  a  Panther's  den.  A 
rough  Road.  The  Den  a  Golgotha.  Our  Blockade.  Appearance 
of  the  Panthers.  Our  Attack.  My  loudest  Yell.  Attempt  to 
seize  the  Kittens.  Preparations  to  enter  the  Den.  Entry  of  the 
Den.  Seizure  of  the  Kittens.  Astonishment  of  the  Indians. 
Unity  of  the  Panther  Family. 

From  Walker's  to  Carson's  River,  a  distance  of 
forty  miles,  we  travelled  over  an  uninviting  region 
without  trees,  grass  or  water,  nothing  but  sage 
bushes  and  weeds.  We  had  taken  the  precaution  to 
carry  some  bags  of  water  with  us  from  Walker's, 
but  before  the  two  days  during  which  we  were  upon 
this  desert  were  over,  all  suffered  much  from  thirst. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  second  evening,  as  our  suf- 
ferings were  becoming  aggravated,  I  mounted  my 
horse  for  the  first  time,  to  ride  in  advance  and 
reconnoitre.  I  found  that  long  freedom  had  rendered 
him  impatient  of  restraint,  but  in  a  short  time  he 
recollected  the  bit,  and  I  rode  off  like  a  nabob  at  a 
rapid  gait  for  more  than  an  hour,  in  search  of  the 
river,  and  at  last  reached  it.     Carson's  is  a  larger 


242  THE    HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS. 

stream  than  Walker's  River,  and  there  is  good  grass 
along  its  banks,  but  no  trees  in  this  place;  so  that, 
being  unable  to  find  firewood,  we  were  compelled  to 
take  our  food  uncooked;  and  to  add  to  our  discomfort, 
the  night  was  damp  and  foggy. 

In  the  morning  we  hurried  off  very  early,  desirous 
of  leaving  the  place  as  soon  as  possible,  and  pro- 
ceeded down  the  river  towards  the  great  bend,  where 
it  was  our  intention  to  cross,  and  from  there,  strike 
for  the  Humboldt  Mountains.  Of  these  mountains  I 
had  heard  much  from  emigrants  of  1849;  it  was  said 
that  there  were  strange  animals  there,  among  them 
the  purple  panther  and  black  and  white  wolves.  We 
travelled  about  twenty  miles  this  day,  and  came  oppo- 
site a  little  island  in  the  river,  covered  with  cotton- 
wood  timber,  where  we  camped.  In  the  evening  we 
caught  a  fine  lot  of  salmon-trout,  using  grasshoppers 
for  bait,  and  in  the  night  killed  half  a  dozen  beavers, 
which  were  very  tame.  The  next  day  we  continued 
our  journey,  and  the  day  after  we  reached  the  bend. 

At  this  place  the  river  divides  and  forms  an 
island,  which  was  the  place  I  chose  to  cross.  We 
accordingly  went  to  work  making  a  raft  of  cotton- 
wood;  and,  upon  getting  it  ready,  loaded  everything 
upon  it,  and  crossed  the  first  branch  of  the  river, 
which  was  comparatively  easy,  as  we  could  reach 
bottom  with  our  poles  and  thus  push  ourselves  over; 
but,  upon  rounding  the  point  of  the  island  and  com- 
mitting ourselves  to  the  second  branch,  the  water 
became  so  deep  that  our  poles  were  of  no  use,  and 
our  raft  was  carried  down  the  stream.     The  current 


THE    HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS.  243 

was  rapid,  and  I  became,  for  a  while,  much  alarmed, 
lest  we  would  be  swamped  in  the  eddies  of  the  bend; 
but  it  was  fortunately  not  long  before  we  reached 
shallower  water;  and,  again  finding  use  for  our  poles, 
we  finally  reached  shore,  and  disembarked.  Having 
no  further  use  for  the  raft,  we  left  it  tied  to  the  bank, 
for,  although  there  was  no  probability  of  our  ever 
seeing  it  more,  others  might  come  along  and  find  use 
for  it;  and  this  was  my  invariable  rule,  not  to  destroy 
an  article  when  the  destruction  could  serve  no  good 
end. 

Upon  leaving  Carson's  River  we  entered  a  country 
almost  entirely  unknown;  but,  after  travelling  some 
distance,  a  faint  line  appeared  in  the  eastern  horizon, 
which  we  knew  could  be  no  other  than  the  Humboldt 
Chain.  It  was  sixty  or  eighty  miles  off,  a  mere  line 
of  blue  in  the  distance;  but  the  sight  invigorated  us, 
and  we  pushed  on  with  energy.  We  travelled  three 
days,  seeing  the  mountains  plainly  in  the  clear  morn- 
ings, but  losing  them  in  the  smokier  after-parts  of 
the  day;  and,  on  the  third  evening,  we  camped 
on  a  small  stream,  which  showed,  by  its  sparkling 
waters,  that  it  was  born  in  the  hills,  though  it  wasted 
itself  in  the  sands  of  the  plains,  —  the  same  as  thou- 
sands of  other  streams  in  the  great  basin.  Along 
this  stream  we  travelled  the  next  day,  gradually  mak- 
ing our  way  through  the  hills,  until  we  came  to  the 
mountains  proper,  which  presented  an  almost  un- 
broken barrier  to  our  progress.  We  skirted  this 
barrier  for  fifteen  miles,  when  we  found  a  rugged 
canon  with  precipitous  sides,  which  served  for  a  pass, 


244  THE   HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS. 

though  it  was  barely  wide  enough  to  admit  the  pas- 
sage of  a  wagon.  A  little  brook  rushed  along  the 
bottom  of  this  canon,  and,  in  the  course  of  four  or  five 
miles,  we  were  compelled  to  cross  it  at  least  a  dozen 
times,  but  we  finally  came  into  a  beautiful  little  val- 
ley, a  few  miles  long  and  half  a  mile  wide,  inclosed 
with  high  hills,  which  were  covered  with  oaks,  pines 
and  cedars.  The  valley  was  level  and  grassy,  with 
here  and  there  a  few  trees,  and,  on  one  side  under 
the  hills,  with  a  placid  sweep,  wound  the  stream. 
Here  we  pitched  our  general  camp  and  determined 
to  hunt  for  a  week  or  two. 

Throughout  the  whole  distance  from  the  Sierra  we 
had  seen  no  human  beings  save  those  of  our  own 
party;  it  was  too  early  for  emigrants,  nor  did  we  see 
Indians.  After  leaving  the  emigration  road  at  Car- 
son's River,  we  passed  through  an  entire  wilderness; 
not  a  track  or  anything  to  denote  that  man  had  ever 
trod  the  waste  could  be  found.  Until  we  reached 
the  neighborhood  of  the  mountains,  there  was  also  no 
edible  game  to  be  met  with;  and  when  we  finally 
camped,  our  stock  of  provisions  was  very  low.  But  all 
the  way  our  animals  thrived  well,  and  travel  seemed 
to  affect  them  but  little.  As  to  the  pets.  Lady  Wash- 
ington had  steadily  followed  the  wagon,  tied  to  the 
hinder  axletree;  but  Ben  Franklin  and  his  foster- 
brother.  Rambler,  I  kept  in  the  wagon,  where  they 
spent  most  of  their  time  in  tussling  with  each  other  or 
sleeping.  Sometimes  I  would  take  them  out,  and, 
when  the  road  was  pleasant,  let  them  chase  each  other 
over  the  grass,  or  while  away  the  time  in  the  chase 


THE   HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS.  245 

of  hares,  squirrels,  and  prairie-dogs,  in  which  they 
found  much  to  amuse  and  occupy  them. 

Upon  reconnoitring  in  the  Humboldt  Mountains  the 
first  day,  they  did  not  promise  us  much.  We  went  in 
an  easterly  direction  with  our  mules,  passing  over  a 
country  rough  with  hills,  rocks,  gullies,  and  ravines, 
here  barren,  and  there  scantily  covered  with  scrubby 
timber.  We  killed  several  deer,  a  few  grouse,  hares 
and  squirrels;  but  could  find  no  traces  of  more  fero- 
cious beasts.  The  next  day  we  took  a  southerly  di- 
rection, and  coming  to  a  very  rough  and  rugged 
mountain,  left  our  mules,  and  climbed  over  into  a 
deep  gorge  full  of  ledges  of  rocks,  holes,  clefts,  chap- 
arral and  brush; — a  place  which,  if  there  were  sav- 
age animals  in  the  region,  appeared  exactly  suited  for 
their  dens.  Nor  were  we  mistaken;  for  we  soon 
found  fresh  tracks  of  a  panther,  which  discovery  en- 
livened us  much;  and  visions  of  the  purple  panther, 
an  animal  with  which  we  were  totally  unacquainted, 
danced  before  our  eyes. 

The  two  Indians  who  had  come  with  us  gave  me  to 
understand  that  they  were  expert  in  following  a  track, 
and  they  soon  demonstrated  their  ability;  for  they 
pursued  the  panther  trail  through  many  winds  and 
turns  for  several  miles  down  the  canon,  till  they 
came  to  the  great  ledges  and  shelving  cliffs,  curious  to 
see,  —  such  as  vultures  build  their  nests  in.  The 
rocks  were  large,  and  left  many  holes  and  clefts;  and 
in  various  places  among  them  there  were  white  bones 
of  different  kinds  of  animals,  which  seemed  to  have 
been  thrown  there  by  the  savage  tenants  of  the  caves. 


246  THh   HUMBOLDT    MOUNTAINS. 

Upon  reaching  this  place,  we  built  fires,  and  endeav- 
ored to  drive  the  smoke  into  the  caves;  but  the  wind 
being  unfavorable,  the  plan  did  not  succeed,  and 
watery  eyes  were  our  only  recompense.  We  then 
lighted  pine  torches,  and  entered  a  number  of  the 
caves,  but  could  find  nothing.  At  last  we  came  to 
the  determination  of  watching  the  place  all  night,  and 
in  that  manner  learning  where  the  game  lay;  and  ac- 
cordingly, as  it  grew  dark,  we  selected  a  ledge  of 
rock  where  we  could  defend  ourselves,  and,  wrapping 
our  blankets  snugly  about  us,  began  our  observations. 
I  can  never  look  back  to  our  position  there  without 
thinking  of  the  famous  valley  of  diamonds  in  the  story 
of  Sinbad  the  Sailor,  with  its  high,  steep,  and  inacces- 
sible sides. 

As  soon  as  it  grew  quite  dark,  our  ears  were  re- 
galed with  a  concert  of  panther  shrieks,  quite  astound- 
ing. We  were  so  situated  that  every  shriek  was  re- 
peated by  a  dozen  echoes,  and  the  canon  fairly  rung 
with  terrific  noises.  We  could  also  hear  the  beasts 
rushing  along  in  the  brush,  but  could  not  see  them. 
At  midnight  it  became  more  silent,  but  towards  morn- 
ing the  concert  was  repeated;  from  which  it  appeared 
that  the  beasts  had  left  their  dens  in  the  evening, 
hunted  for  prey  during  the  night,  and  returned  tow- 
ards morning.  Our  watch,  therefore,  convinced  us 
of  the  presence  of  many  beasts;  but  it  was  impossible 
to  see  where  they  retired,  and  we  knew  not  how  to 
proceed  to  hunt  them.  As  we  were  thinking  this 
matter  over,  however,  one  of  the  Indians  announced 
that  he  had  discovered  a  panther's  den,  where  there 


THE   HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS.  247 

were  young  ones,  and  described  it  as  being  about  a 
mile  further  down  the  canon,  in  a  spot  very  difficult 
of  access.  Upon  questioning  him,  I  perceived  that 
he  understood  the  signs  and  proofs  of  the  brute  nearly 
as  well  as  myself;  and  we  resolved  to  proceed  at  once 
to  the  place. 

The  road  was  one  of  the  utmost  difficulty,  on  ac- 
count of  the  thick  brush,  precipices,  ledges  and  rocks, 
which  were  piled  together  in  great  confusion  the 
whole  way.  In  some  places  we  had  to  let  ourselves 
down,  at  the  risk  of  breaking  our  necks,  from  one 
shelf  of  rock  to  another;  and  the  place  itself,  as  we 
found  upon  reaching  it,  was  of  most  gloomy  descrip- 
tion, but  exactly  calculated  for  the  dens  of  ferocious 
beasts.  It  seemed  a  perfect  Golgotha  of  the  animal 
creation;  for  the  bones  of  deer,  antelopes,  wolves, 
coyotes  and  birds,  together  with  feathers  and  hair, 
lay  scattered  about  in  every  direction.  Some  of  the 
bones  were  yellow  with  freshness,  others  perfectly 
bleached,  and  many  crumbling  with  age.  The  place 
indeed  bore  the  appearance  of  having  been  the  den  of 
beasts  since  the  days  of  Methuselah.  After  viewing 
the  premises  attentively,  we  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  a  particular  horizontal  opening  in  a  ledge  of 
rocks  led  to  an  immense  den;  and  we  determined  to 
await  the  pleasure  of  the  inmates  to  come  forth.  We 
accordingly  posted  ourselves.  Gray  and  an  Indian  at 
one  place  and  I  and  an  Indian  at  another,  within  fifty 
yards  of  the  den,  and  in  such  positions  as  to  have  fair 
aim  and  be  able  to  assist  each  other  if  necessary. 

It  was  about  sundown  when  we  took  our  positions, 


248  THE   HUMBOLDT    MOUNTAINS. 

and  we  had  not  waited  long  before  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  two  panthers  come  out  of  the  cleft  of  the 
rocks.  They  played  with  each  other,  wrestled  and 
caressed,  and  I  soon  saw  that  one  was  a  male  and  the 
other  a  female.  Never  in  my  life  before  had  I  seen 
two  large  beasts  play  so  prettily,  and  I  therefore 
watched  them  without  disturbing  their  gambols.  In 
a  few  minutes  afterwards  three  small  kittens  came  out 
of  the  cleft  and  commenced  playing  also,  springing 
upon  their  parents'  backs,  and  oflF  again,  and  growling 
with  pleasure.  I  could  have  watched  a  long  time, 
but  the  opportunity  being  too  favorable  to  be  neg- 
lected, I  drew  my  rifle,  and,  giving  a  whistle  as  the 
signal  agreed  upon  with  Gray,  fired  at  the  female  and 
pierced  her  through  the  heart.  Gray  also  fired,  but 
unfortunately  at  the  same  animal,  so  that  the  male 
remained  unscathed.  He  could  not  see  us,  however, 
and,  being  confounded  by  the  unaccustomed  sound,  did 
not  fly,  but  pranced  about,  jumping  over  the  dead 
body  of  his  consort,  looking  in  every  direction,  and 
screeching  every  few  minutes.  I  reloaded  as  quickly 
as  possible  and  fired  a  second  shot,  but  without  the 
fatal  effect  of  the  former  one.  The  beast  was  how- 
ever struck;  and  making  a  tremendous  spring,  he 
bounded  in  the  direction  of  Gray.  I  thought  he  was 
springing  for  my  comrades;  and  in  an  instant,  drawing 
my  knife  and  uttering  the  loudest  yell  that  ever 
passed  my  lips,  I  rushed  forward;  but  the  panther 
was  only  scared,  for,  passing  by  them,  he  bounded 
over  a  cliff  into  the  bushes  out  of  sight;  and  this  was 
the  last  we  ever  saw  of  him. 


THE   HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS.  249 

After  waiting  until  his  screeches  had  died  away  in 
the  distance,  we  approached  the  den  for  the  purpose 
of  securirtg  the  Uttle  ones;  but  they  evaded  all  our 
efforts.  We  used  our  buckskin  coats  to  throw  over 
them,  but  they  dodged  and  jumped  with  such  rapidi- 
ty that  our  endeavors  were  useless;  when  we  thought 
we  had  them  surely,  they  were  not  there;  and  finally 
they  ran  into  the  den,  and  buried  themselves  in  its 
recesses.  There  remained  but  one  resource,  that  of 
following;  and,  making  a  large  fire  at  the  mouth  of 
the  place  and  procuring  a  number  of  pine  torches,  I 
prepared  to  enter.  Gray  was  much  opposed  to  this 
step  at  first;  but  I  represented  that  the  old  ones  were 
certainly  disposed  of,  and  there  could  be  nothing  else 
to  fear.  He  replied  like  a  man,  that  if  I  was  de- 
termined to  go  in,  he  would  share  the  danger;  and 
accordingly  he  prepared  himself  to  follow.  I  then 
took  my  buckskin  coat  and  wrapped  it  about  my 
neck,  making  thus  a  kind  of  battery  for  my  face  and 
breast,  and  placed  a  Uttle  Cayenne  pepper  in  my 
pocket,  which  would  serve  to  blind  an  opponent,  if 
necessary.  It  was  rare  indeed  that  I  was  not  pro- 
vided either  with  pepper  or  dry  snuff,  though  seldom 
that  I  ever  had  occasion  to  use  them.  In  my  left 
hand  I  carried  my  torch  and  drawn  knife,  in  my  right 
my  revolver;  and  Gray  was  provided  in  much  the 
same  style. 

It  had  now  become  dark,  and  the  region  dreadfully 
gloomy;  nor  was  the  appearance  of  the  place  bene- 
fited by  the  fire,  the  light  of  which,  flickering  upon 
the  angular  projections  of  rock,  increased  the  black- 


250  THE   HUMBOLDT   MOUNTAINS. 

ness  of  the  recesses.  Any  but  a  tried  man  would  have 
drawn  back  from  the  adventure;  but  we  were  both 
firm  of  nerve,  and,  after  deciding,  would  not  be 
stayed.  We  accordingly  entered  the  cleft,  and  crept 
forward  eight  or  ten  feet,  over  skeletons  and  bones, 
which  rattled  as  we  passed.  Coming  to  a  narrow 
hole,  we  passed  through  it  into  a  second  cave,  five  or 
six  feet  in  extent,  and  then  into  a  third,  larger  than 
either  of  the  others.  The  most  absolute  silence 
reigned,  and  nothing  was  to  be  seen,  until,  as  we  ap- 
proached a  few  broken  rocks  in  a  corner,  the  little 
panthers  bristled  up,  and,  with  flaming  eyes,  began  to 
spit  at  us.  Seeing  that  we  had  no  other  beasts  to 
encounter,  we  laid  aside  our  arms,  and  I  untied  the 
coat  from  my  neck;  but,  in  consideration  of  the 
trouble  already  experienced  from  the  active  little 
brutes,  I  took  a  small  quantity  of  pepper  in  my  hand, 
and,  watching  an  opportunity,  dashed  it  into  their 
faces.  We  then,  in  an  instant,  rushed  upon  them 
with  our  buckskins,  and  in  a  few  moments  had  them 
in  our  arms;  after  which  we  made  our  way  out  of  the 
close  and  now  smoky  cave  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  Indians,  in  the  meanwhile,  had  remained  at  the 
fire  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave;  but  they  were  terribly 
frightened  when  they  heard  us  coming  out  with  the 
young  animals  screeching  in  our  arms,  for  the  acoustic 
peculiarities  of  the  place  were  astonishing,  and,  hear- 
ing so  great  a  noise,  they  knew  not  what  was  coming. 
When,  however,  they  saw  us  emerging  safely  with 
our  trophies,  they  looked  upon  our  success  as  heroic, 
and,   with  a  sort  of  reverence,   cried   "Bravo I   bra- 


THE    HUMBOLDT    MOUNTAINS.  251 

vo!"  I  myself  exulted,  believing  that  I  had  pro- 
cured the  famous  "purple  panther  ;"  but,  on  skinning 
the  dead  dam  before  the  fire,  I  was  undeceived.  She 
was  as  tawny  as  the  sands,  and  in  all  respects  the 
same  panther,  called  by  naturalists  the  cougar  or  con- 
color,  which  is  common  to  the  whole  country. 


252  AMONG   THE    DENS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

AMONG   THE    DENS. 

Discovery  of  a  Wolf's  Den.  Wolves'  Dens  in  General.  A  Night- 
watch.  Digging  out  the  Den.  Construction  of  the  Den.  Lost. 
Adventure  with  a  Bear.  Our  Position.  Second  Visit  to  the 
Panther's  Den.  Explorations.  A  Panther.  Adventure  with  the 
Panther  in  her  Den.  Its  Incompleteness.  Conversation  with 
Gray.  Reentry  of  the  Den.  Seizure  of  the  Kittens.  Gray  hor- 
rified.    Gray's  manful  Aid.     The  Purple  Panther  7 

The  recesses  of  the  Humboldt  Mountains  afforded 
us  many  adventures.  The  day  after  we  stormed  and 
took  the  panther's  den,  one  of  the  Indians  reported 
the  discovery  of  a  wolfs  den,  and  said  that  he  had 
seen  whelps  playing  at  its  mouth.  We  determined  at 
once  to  proceed  to  the  place,  and  he  led  us  a  long 
distance  through  a  rocky  and  mountainous  country, 
with  much  chaparral  among  the  gullies,  but  otherwise 
barren  and  desolate.  We  arrived  at  last  at  a  hill-side 
in  which  there  was  a  kind  of  tunnel-like  cave;  and 
this  was  the  den.  Wolves  sometimes  have  such  dens, 
but  probably  dispossess  other  animals  to  obtain  them. 
I  have  known  them  in  different  parts  of  the  country 
to  dispossess  coyotes,  which  had  previously  dispos- 
sessed badgers,  woodchucks  or  prairie-dogs.  They 
sometimes,  however,  dig  holes  for  themselves;  but 
do  not,  generally,  go  very  far  into  the  ground,  and 
especially  where  the  earth  is  in  any  respect  hard.     In 


AMONG    THE    DENS.  253 

the  present  case,  it  seemed,  from  the  general  appear- 
ance of  the  phice,  that  the  hole  had  once  been  a 
bear's  den,  and  that  the  wolves  had  taken  possession 
after  the  original  occupants  had  vacated  it. 

Upon  examining  the  spot,  we  saw  that  it  would  re- 
quire much  labor  to  dig  the  whelps  out, — a  mode  of 
procuring  young  wolves  frequently  practised,  —  and 
particularly  as  we  had  no  spades  or  crow-bars  with  us. 
But  as  the  Indian  insisted  that  there  were  wolves 
there,  we  determined  to  watch  the  den  during  the 
night,  and,  if  necessary,  dig  into  it  the  next  day.  For 
this  purpose  we  accordingly  stationed  ourselves,  and 
kept  a  sharp  look-out  until  morning;  but  no  wolves 
appeared,  and  nothing  was  heard  but  the  shrieks  of 
panthers  and  the  howls  of  coyotes  in  the  distance.  I 
concluded  that  the  den  had  been  deserted;  but  Gray, 
pointing  to  the  fresh  tracks,  which  were  to  be  seen  in 
abundance,  was  anxious  to  dig;  and  finally  I  acqui- 
esced. The  word  was  given;  and,  all  going  diligent- 
ly to  work  with  pointed  sticks,  we  dug,  and  pried,  and 
removed  stones,  until,  after  three  hours'  hard  labor,  we 
penetrated  the  hill  five  or  six  feet,  and  arrived  at  the 
inner  chamber  of  the  den.  This  was  an  apartment 
three  or  four  feet  in  diameter  and  several  feet  high, 
nicely  lined  with  leaves  and  also  with  some  hair. 
It  seems  that  wolves,  when  about  to  whelp,  will  fre- 
quently chop  off  a  portion  of  their  own  hair,  besides 
picking  up  all  they  can  find,  to  make  a  soft  nest  for 
their  offspring.  This  is  a  lesson  that  Nature,  mother 
of  us  all,  teaches  them.  We  examined  the  den  care- 
fully, but  there  were  no  wolves  of  any  kind  about  it. 


254  AMONG   THE    DENS. 

though  appearances  indicated  that  they  had  deserted 
the  place  but  a  short  time  before  our  visit.  The  old 
wolf  had  doubtless  discovered  the  Indian  scout;  and, 
as  it  is  the  nature  of  the  beast  to  remove  her  young 
when  disturbed,  she  had  probably  taken  the  first  op- 
portunity to  do  so.  Thus  we  lost  four  and  twenty 
hours  of  hard  watching  and  hard  labor,  and  got  noth- 
ing for  our  pains. 

The  provisions  we  had  brought  with  us  were  now 
nearly  exhausted,  and  we  determined  to  scour  the 
region  for  game.  We  started  out,  and  travelled  till 
nearly  night,  but,  to  our  astonishment,  found  noth- 
ing but  a  barren,  rugged  country.  As  it  grew  tow- 
ards evening,  we  did  not  know  where  we  were, 
and  began  to  suffer  from  thirst  and  hunger,  when 
suddenly  one  of  the  Indians  whispered  to  me. 
"There's  a  bear!"  I  looked  in  the  direction  in 
which  he  pointed,  and  saw  a  bear  crawling  slowly 
up  the  side  of  a  ravine  opposite  us.  It  appeared  to 
be  lounging  along,  searching  for  roots  and  squirrels,  in 
a  manner  customary  to  the  animal  after  drinking; 
and  I  at  once  concluded  that  there  must  be  water  in 
the  ravine;  so  that  here,  at  once,  food  and  drink 
were  presented  to  us.  We  immediately  separated, 
and,  while  Gray  took  one  direction,  I  took  another. 
He  was  most  lucky  in  his  path,  and  reached  a  suit- 
able point  of  attack  before  I  could;  for  when  I  had 
stationed  myself  in  a  clump  of  bushes  near  the  top  of 
the  ridge  I  saw  him  below,  preparing  to  fire  on  the 
beast.  He  did  not  know  I  was  near,  nor  did  I  give 
him  notice,  but  waited  until  he  fired,  and  then  ad- 


AMONG  THE   DENS.  255 

vanced.  His  ball,  although  it  struck,  did  not  kill; 
but  this  was  of  little  advantage  to  the  bear,  for  I  soon 
placed  mine  in  his  heart,  and  it  fell  dead.  We  drew 
our  knives,  and,  ripping  out  a  ham,  rushed  down  the 
declivity  to  a  spring  at  the  bottom,  where,  building  a 
fire  and  partially  roasting  the  food,  we  devoured  it 
like  savages,  —  for  we  were  nearly  starved.  After 
satisfying  our  thirst  as  well  as  our  hunger,  we  re- 
turned to  the  body  of  the  bear,  and,  building  a  fire 
near  it,  spread  our  blankets  and  fell  into  a  sound  and 
comfortable  sleep. 

The  next  morning  we  ascended  a  hill  to  ascertain 
our  position,  and  found  that  we  were  but  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  canon  of  the  panther's  den.  As  we 
wished  to  examine  that  den  more  at  our  leisure  than 
we  had  been  able  to  do  on  the  first  visit,  I  despatched 
the  Indians  to  camp  for  Tuolumne  and  the  mules,  to 
remove  the  bear;  and,  after  they  started  off,  Gray 
and  I  went  down  to  the  den.  We  provided  ourselves 
with  torches,  as  before;  and,  having  lighted  them, 
crept  into  the  apartment  where  w^e  had  found  the 
kittens.  Upon  removing  a  few  loose  stones,  we  un- 
expectedly discovered  another  crevice,  which  led  in 
among  the  rocks,  and,  passing  through  it,  we  entered 
another  apartment,  and  then  another,  until  it  seemed 
as  if  we  would  never  be  able  to  find  our  way  out 
again.  Presently,  however,  Gray  remarked  that  he 
thought  he  could  see  light  ahead;  I  told  him  to  place 
his  torch  behind,  and,  doing  the  same  with  my  own, 
we  both  saw  plainly  that  there  must  be  a  second  en- 
trance eight  or  ten  yards  in  advance.     We  groped 


256  AMONG   THE    DENS. 

along  very  cautiously  now,  being  satisfied  that  we 
were  in  another  den,  and  having  nothing  but  our 
bowie-knives  and  pistols  to  defend  ourselves,  our 
rifles  being  still  at  the  mouth  where  we  entered;  but 
we  still  continued  to  crawl  forward  in  spite  of  danger. 
It  inspires  me  with  more  dread  to  recall  the  low, 
narrow,  tomb-like  place  now  than  when,  under  the 
excitement  of  the  hunt,  I  crept  into  it.  All  of  a  sud- 
den, Gray  cried,  "A  panther!"  which  startled  me 
terribly.  I  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  anything; 
but,  upon  halting  a  moment,  plainly  heard  a  low 
growl,  and,  rising  a  few  inches,  I  saw  cowering  in 
front  of  me  a  huge  living  form,  with  a  pair  of  flaming 
eyes. 

My  first  thought,  at  this  startling  discovery,  was  to 
turn  back,  —  but  this  would  have  been  madness;  our 
only  chance  was  to  proceed,  and  beard  the  brute. 
Should  we  turn,  the  beast  would  surely  attack  us; 
but,  with  a  bold  front,  armed  as  we  were  and  with 
fire,  that  terror  of  beasts,  we  were  more  than  a 
match  for  the  brute,  even  under  the  disadvantages 
of  our  position.  Accordingly,  drawing  our  weapons, 
we  advanced;  I  first,  and  Gray  at  my  heels,  —  for 
there  was  not  room  to  proceed  side  by  side.  The 
panther,  meanwhile,  continued  growling  more  and 
more  angrily,  and  did  not  seem  disposed  to  retreat. 
For  a  few  minutes  we  eyed  each  other,  and  I  began 
to  fear  a  sudden  spring;  when,  pointing  my  pistol  as 
directly  at  her  eyes  as  possible,  I  fired.  The  animal 
gave  a  tremendous  screech,  and  we  heard  a  terrible 
growling  and  scratching,  but,  paying  little  attention 


AMONG   THE    DENS.  257 

to  these,  and  wishing  to  tukc  advantage  of  our  attack, 
we  crept  on  as  quickly  as  possibk%  continuing  to  fire 
and  yell  as  we  advanced.  All  this  terrified  the  beast, 
which  wheeled,  rushed  for  the  opening,  cleared  it  at 
a  bound,  and  escaped;  but  she  was  no  sooner  gone 
than  I  was  sorry  I  had  not  seized  her  by  the  tail  and 
plied  my  knife.  Frequently  have  I  thought  of  the 
matter  since,  and  regretted  my  want  of  readiness; 
for  the  adventure  lacked  this  of  being  complete.  I 
indeed  rushed  after  her,  and  paid  no  attention,  for 
the  time,  to  her  kittens,  which  sprawled  in  her  lair; 
but  when  we  got  out  of  the  place,  and  looked  about 
us  in  every  direction,  no  panther  was  to  be  seen;  she 
had  vanished. 

Our  search  for  the  dam  being  vain,  I  turned 
towards  Gray  and  asked  him  to  go  in  and  catch  the 
kittens.  He  replied  that  we  should  both  go.  I  an- 
swered that  such  a  plan  would  never  do;  for  one 
must  watch  outside  and  keep  off  the  dam,  which  was 
much  more  dangerous  than  to  catch  the  little  ones. 
I  knew  very  well  that  there  was  no  probability  of  the 
dam  returning  after  the  fright  we  had  given  her,  but 
I  spoke  so  to  try  my  comrade's  courage.  All  I  could 
say,  however,  was  of  no  avail;  for,  as  I  soon  found. 
Gray  was  afraid  of  other  old  beasts  in  the  den,  and 
this  was  the  reason  of  his  refusal.  This  circum- 
stance afforded  me  an  opportunity,  not  only  of  ridi- 
culing his  fears,  but  of  testing  his  faithfulness  in  the 
hour  of  need. 

With  torch  in  one  hand  and  knife  in  the  other,  I 
again  crept  through  the  narrow  opening,  and  soon 


258  AMONG    THE    DENS. 

reached  the  panther's  bed.  Finding  five  little  pan- 
ther  kittens,  I  placed  them  on  my  coat,  which  I  had 
drawn  off  for  the  purpose,  and,  doubling  up  the 
bundle,  began  crawling  out.  But  upon  reaching  the 
narrow  entrance,  where  Gray  could  see  me,  I  began 
twisting  my  face  into  a  look  of  horror,  and  cried  that 
he  should  help  me  for  mercy's  sake.  In  an  instant 
Gray  darted  towards  me,  and  asked  frantically  what 
was  the  matter.  I  replied,  "The  panther!  the  pan- 
ther! pull  me  out!  pull  me  out!"  and  at  the  same 
time  worked  my  body  from  side  to  side,  threw  my 
face  into  the  most  frightful  expression,  and  kicked  as 
if  a  panther  had  me  by  the  legs.  Gray  manfully 
seized  my  arms  and  pulled  me  out,  when,  jumping 
upon  my  feet,  I  slapped  him  on  the  back,  and  re- 
marked that,  though  he  had  acted  the  coward  before, 
he  had  fully  redeemed  himself  by  his  prompt  action 
now. 

I  was  in  hopes  that  these  at  least  were  the  purple 
panthers,  —  the  animals  we  were  so  anxious  to  pro- 
cure, —  and  resolved  to  lay  in  wait  for  the  return  of 
the  dam,  in  order  to  ascertain.  We  accordingly  took 
up  positions  near  the  den,  and  occasionally  pinched 
the  tails  of  our  little  captives  to  attract  her;  but  in 
vain,  —  nothing  more  could  we  see  or  hear.  As  it 
began  to  grow  dark,  we  took  up  our  prizes  and  arms, 
and  proceeded  to  camp,  from  which  we  had  been 
absent  several  days. 


A   ilUMBOLDT   TEMPEST.  259 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A   HUMBOLDT   TEMPEST. 

A  beautiful  Morning.  Review  of  my  Pets.  Ben  Franklin  and  his 
P^oster-brother.  Coming  of  the  Storm.  Our  Preparations  for 
the  Tempest.  The  Fury  of  the  Storm.  Repetition  of  the  Storm 
at  Night.  Preparations  for  Travel.  Adventure  with  a  Bear. 
The  Disadvantages  of  Hunting  in  Company.  Slaughter  of  Ante- 
lopes. Preparations  to  cro.ss  the  Desert.  Musings.  The  Ro- 
mance of  the  Desert.  Its  real  Desolation.  Ben  Franklin  in 
Freedom.  The  Edge  of  the  Desert.  Appearance  of  the  Desert. 
A  Night  of  Torment.     Painful  Progress. 

The  next  morning  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
that  could  well  be  imagined.  The  sky  was  clear,  not 
a  cloud  to  be  seen;  and  a  fine  haze,  like  the  com- 
mencement of  Indian  summer,  gave  it  a  peculiar 
charm.  There  was  something  so  soft,  and  at  the 
same  time  so  fragrant,  about  the  air,  that  it  seemed 
to  ravish  the  senses.  It  was  not  the  invigorating 
atmosphere  which  incites  to  labor,  but  a  luxurious 
one,  as  if  of  a  perfumed  bazaar  under  a  Persian 
sky.  I  therefore  felt  little  disposition  to  go  upon  the 
hunt,  and  chose  to  marshal  and  review  my  animals  in 
camp.  The  pets  were  thereupon  all  brought  out 
together  upon  the  green  sward,  and,  for  an  hour  or 
more  I  had  them  gambolling  and  playing  together, 
bears,  dogs,  wolves  and  panthers.  From  an  early 
period  in  the  life  of  my  bear,  Ben  Franklin,  it  had 
been  my  intention  to  teach  him  to  be  a  hunter,  and  I 


260  A    HUMBOLDT    TEMPEST. 

had  therefore  taken  every  means  to  cement  the 
friendship  which  existed  between  him  and  the  grey- 
hound, Rambler;  and  so  intimate  had  their  relations 
become  that  they  passed  their  time  together  by  choice, 
always  keeping  in  company  in  their  plays.  Ben  was 
now  growing  finely,  and  had  far  outstripped  his  foster- 
brother  in  size;  but  they  were  still  brothers.  As  for 
the  little  panthers,  they  were  all  doing  well,  and  gam- 
bolled with  the  bear  and  dog,  as  if  all  had  been  reared 
in  the  same  family.  Taking  all  in  all,  the  sight  was 
one  of  great  interest,  and  much  did  I  enjoy  it  that 
beautiful  morning. 

Such  was  the  forenoon  of  this  remarkable  day  in 
the  Humboldt  Mountains,  but  in  the  afternoon  clouds 
rose.  At  first  they  seemed  like  huge  banks  of  snow 
rising  over  the  mountains;  but  the  higher  they  rose 
the  darker  they  grew.  I  was  not  acquainted  with 
the  climate  of  the  region,  but  it  soon  became  evident 
to  me  that  a  storm  was  brewing;  and  I  therefore  or- 
dered the  animals  to  be  placed  away,  and  everything 
to  be  prepared  for  a  rough  time.  Little  idea  did  I 
have,  however,  of  the  tempest  which  was  about  to 
burst  upon  us.  We  had,  indeed,  barely  rolled  away 
our  rifles  in  blankets,  and  piled  large  chunks  of  wood 
upon  the  fire,  when  the  heavens  became  black,  the 
wind  blew  with  terrific  force,  and  large  hailstones  be- 
gan pouring  down.  I  soon  discovered  that  a  tremen- 
dous whirlwind  was  roaring  near  us,  and  that  our 
danger  was  imminent.  Some  of  the  party  ran  tow- 
ards the  wagon,  with  the  intention  of  finding  shelter 
under  it;    but  I  forbade  them,  and  directed  all  to 


A    HUMBOLDT   TEMPEST.  261 

throw  themselves  flat  upon  the  ground,  and  draw  their 
blankets  over  them ;  and  well  it  was  that  they  did  so, 
for  in  a  few  minutes  the  whirlwind  suddenly  took  up 
the  wagon,  whirled  it  over,  and  scattered  the  luggage 
in  every  direction.  The  stronger  it  blew,  the  harder 
it  hailed,  and  the  firmer  we  had  to  hold  ourselves  to 
the  ground  to  keep  from  being  carried  away;  for  the 
violence  of  the  storm  was  so  great  that  trees  but  a 
short  distance  from  us  were  twisted  off  or  torn  up  by 
the  roots,  and  thrown  about  like  straws.  The  devas- 
tation was  frightful;  but,  as  is  the  case  with  all  vio- 
lent things,  the  storm  soon  spent  its  fury,  and  passed 
over  us.  We  were  all  bruised  by  the  hail,  and 
drenched  by  the  rain,  and  rendered  a  truly  sad  look- 
ing set;  but  in  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two  the  ex- 
tinguished fire  was  relighted,  we  gathered  up  our 
scattered  goods,  and  soon  afterwards  the  sky  cleared, 
and  the  sun  shone  pleasantly  forth  again. 

I  was  in  hopes,  after  such  an  afternoon,  that  we 
should  have  a  calm  night;  but  no,  this  tornado  was 
but  a  prelude  to  a  still  more  dreadful  one,  which 
might  have  been  disastrous  had  we  not  had  warning 
in  time,  and  prepared  for  it.  Seeing  in  the  evening 
that  it  would  come,  we  unpacked  the  wagon,  took 
off  the  wheels  and  turned  the  bed  bottom-upward, 
placed  everything  we  could  under  it,  and  loaded  it 
down  with  large  stones  on  top.  The  animals  we 
placed  in  bushes,  and  did  the  same  with  ourselves; 
and  in  a  short  time  afterwards  the  storm  came,  bring- 
ing torrents  of  rain,  which  drenched  us  to  the  skin, 
and  formed  a  sea  of  rushing  water  on  every  side. 


262  A   HUMBOLDT   TEMPEST. 

There  was  thunder  and  Hghtning  too,  frightful,  ter- 
rific; never  in  my  Hfe,  before  or  after,  have  I  seen 
anything  so  appalling.  But  fortunately  the  wind  did 
not  lift  our  wagon-bed;  and  when  the  tornado  was 
over,  although  it  took  a  long  time  to  dry  our  clothes, 
and  much  of  our  property  was  ruined,  we  at  last 
made  ourselves  comparatively  comfortable,  and  the 
next  morning  rose  upon  us  bright  and  clear. 

We  had  now  made  as  long  a  stay  in  these  moun- 
tains as  our  time  would  allow,  and  began  to  prepare 
for  our  journey  over  the  Great  Basin  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  In  view  of  the  desert  road  before  us,  we 
determined  to  devote  ourselves,  during  the  remainder 
of  our  stay  here,  to  collecting  a  store  of  dried  pro- 
visions; and  accordingly,  on  the  day  after  the  storm, 
we  started  out  with  the  horse  and  mules,  and  soon 
killed  four  or  five  deer,  which  we  hung  up  as  usual. 
Towards  evening  we  came  upon  a  bear,  and  crept 
upon  him,  when  Tuolumne,  according  to  arrangement, 
fired  the  first  shot.  No  sooner  had  he  done  so,  how- 
ever, than  the  beast  made  a  rush  for  him.  There  was 
a  small  cedar-tree  at  a  short  distance,  and  Tuolumne 
was  soon  in  its  branches;  but  the  animal  was  close  at 
his  heels,  and  would  perhaps  have  caught  him,  had 
not  Gray  and  I,  after  vainly  firing  our  rifles,  seized 
our  knives  and  run  to  the  rescue.  Although  Tuo- 
lumne discharged  his  pistol  in  front,  our  attack  in  the 
rear  diverted  the  animal's  attention;  and,  after  a 
fight  in  which  both  Gray  and  I  used  our  knives  too 
freely,  he  expired  at  our  feet.  He  had  a  beautiful 
skin,  and  when  I  saw  how  much  it  was  injured  by  our 


A   HUMBOLDT   TEMPEST.  263 

slashes,  it  grieved  me  that  I  had  not  been  alone  in  the 
fight.  But  so  it  generally  happens  where  several 
persons  hunt  in  company,  animals  are  spoiled  by  too 
much  killing.  I  have,  therefore,  when  collecting  pel- 
tries, always  preferred  to  hunt  alone,  which  is  also 
safer;  for  then  a  hunter  has  to  look  out  only  for  him- 
self and  the  game;  but  in  a  company,  the  attention 
is  distracted  by  considerations  for  the  safety  of  one's 
companions  in  addition. 

The  next  day  we  again  took  the  field,  and,  after  a 
short  hunt,  perceived  a  large  band  of  antelopes.  We 
crept  up  on  different  sides  with  flags,  until  an  old  buck 
happened  to  see  the  decoys  at  nearly  the  same  time. 
He  looked  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other, 
and  for  a  while  it  was  uncertain  which  way  he  would 
go;  but,  by  a  waving  of  my  flag,  which  was  of  an 
attractive  red  color,  I  drew  him  towards  me,  and  the 
band  followed.  As  they  came  down  the  knoll,  Gray 
ascended  on  the  opposite  side,  and,  upon  reaching  the 
top,  fired;  whereupon  Tuolumne  and  I  discharged 
our  pieces  also.  The  shots  had  the  effect  of  kill- 
ing three,  and  so  amazed  the  band  that  they  be- 
gan tramping  around  in  a  panic,  while  we  rapidly  re- 
loaded and  fired  four  additional  times;  and  at  last 
the  band  broke  away  and  escaped,  but  left  nine  dead 
and  four  wounded  ones  behind. 

A  number  of  other  antelopes  and  bears,  deer, 
wolves  and  foxes,  we  likewise  killed,  and  our  camp  for 
several  days  presented  a  busy  scene  of  meat-drying 
and  buckskin-making.  After  procuring  as  much  pro- 
vision as  our  journey  would  require,  we  packed  it  in 


264  A   HUMBOLDT   TEMPEST. 

such  a  manner  as  to  economize  room,  having  a  jour- 
ney of  several  hundred  miles  over  a  comparative  des- 
ert before  us,  and  knowing  that  we  would  have  to 
carry  water  as  well  as  provisions.  We  also  greased 
the  wheels  of  our  wagon;  and  having  thus  prepared 
everything,  and  made  all  necessary  arrangements  for 
a  start  early  the  next  morning,  we  gathered  around 
our  last  camp  fire  in  the  Humboldt  Mountains,  and 
speculated  upon  the  character  of  the  desert  over 
which  we  were  to  go,  and  the  kinds  and  numbers  of 
the  animals  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  towards  which 
we  were  now  to  travel. 

There  is  something  attractive  in  the  very  name  of 
the  desert.  It  is  invested  in  our  minds  with  the 
stories  learned  in  childhood,  of  its  wonderful  wide 
stretches  of  sandy  wastes,  its  mirages,  and  its  cara- 
vans, all  of  which  have  been  so  generously  adorned 
with  the  splendors  of  diction,  and  dressed  out  in  the 
gorgeous  robes  of  imagination.  The  poets  have  peo- 
pled its  fearful  solitudes  with  the  creations  of  fancy, 
until  the  desert  of  the  books  is  far  from  being  the 
desert  of  reality.  One  who  sits  in  the  midst  of 
plenty,  to  indite  his  experience  of  a  travel  over  the 
plains,  is  apt  to  forget  the  desolation  he  has  passed, 
and  to  describe  inadequately  the  fearful  loneliness  he 
has  traversed. 

On  the  appointed  morning,  having  yoked  up  at  an 
early  hour,  we  drove  down  a  valley  in  the  mountains, 
and  the  same  day  ran  out  into  the  hills  which  border 
the  plains  of  the  Great  Basin.  I  had  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  Ben  Franklin  was  now  old  and  strong 


A   HUMBOLDT   TEMPEST.  265 

enough  to  travel  on  foot,  and  allowed  him  to  run  the 
whole  day  in  company  with  the  greyhound,  —  a  privi- 
lege which  he  seemed  to  enjoy  as  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  majority;  though  a  grizzly  bear  can 
hardly  be  said  to  have  come  of  age  until  several 
years  old.  Lady  Washington  was  chained  to  the 
axle-tree,  as  usual;  but  Ben  seemed  rather  to  harmo- 
nize with  the  greyhound  than  with  his  relative,  and  I 
had  no  disposition  to  interfere  with  his  inclinations. 

The  next  day  we  ran  out  of  the  hills,  and  camped 
upon  what  we  supposed  would  be  our  last  watering- 
place  for  several  days;  so  that  we  considered  it  pru- 
dent to  fill  all  our  vessels  and  bags  with  water  for  use 
upon  the  wastes.  The  lower  hills  had  a  little  timber 
and  a  little  grass,  but  as  they  stretched  out  before  us 
into  the  plains,  the  land  became  parched  and  sandy, 
with  only  a  few  weeds  and  sage  bushes,  and  dreary 
indeed.  As  we  pushed  forward  the  next  day,  the 
country  became  more  and  more  dreary,  assuming  a 
volcanic  aspect  as  if  burnt,  having  small  stones  scat- 
tered about,  and  in  many  places  coated  with  a  soda- 
like substance,  very  disagreeable  to  the  sight. 

We  were  in  hopes  this  day  of  reaching  a  spring 
of  which  we  had  been  told,  but  after  a  drive  of  forty 
miles,  were  compelled  to  camp  without  any  signs  of 
it,  and  during  the  night  we  used  up  all  the  water  we 
had  brought.  Besides,  there  was  neither  grass  nor 
firewood  anywhere  to  be  procured,  and  our  stoppage, 
therefore,  did  little  towards  affording  us  the  necessary 
refreshment.  We  passed  a  night  of  torment  indeed, 
and,  in  the  morning,  were  so  thirsty  that  I  became 


2(36  A    HUMBOLDT   TPLMPEST. 

fearful  of  the  consequences.  All  that  could  be  done, 
however,  was  to  ride  ahead  and  search  for  relief; 
and,  accordingly,  while  Gray  was  to  follow  leisurely 
with  the  team,  I  mounted  the  horse,  and  rode  on  a 
long  distance;  but  nothing  was  to  be  seen,  save  a 
blank  waste,  without  signs  of  water  or  vegetation.  I 
hardly  knew  in  which  direction  to  turn,  when  at  last, 
far  in  advance,  I  perceived  several  mounds,  which 
we  had  been  told  indicated  the  situation  of  the 
springs.  They  were,  however,  not  less  than  twenty 
miles  distant  from  where  the  poor  animals  were 
panting  with  exhaustion;  and  when  I  bore  the  good 
tidings  to  Gray,  he  declared  that  they  came  too  late. 

It  was,  fortunately,  now  nearly  evening,  and  the 
poor  cattle  seemed  to  revive  as  it  became  cooler,  but, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  hardy  mules,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  we  could  have  reached  the  springs  that  night, 
and  perhaps  not  at  all.  I  sent  all  the  party  ahead  to 
refresh  themselves,  and  took  charge  of  the  team 
alone;  but  it  was  only  with  much  coaxing  and  pain- 
ful slowness  that  I  succeeded  in  making  progress,  and 
managed  to  reach  the  springs,  such  as  they  were,  in 
the  morning.  The  water  was  brackish  and  unpalat- 
able, but  still  acceptable  under  the  circumstances; 
for,  after  the  dreadful  drive  of  the  last  two  days,  we 
considered  ourselves  very  fortunate  to  procure  any 
drink  at  all,  however  bad  it  might  be. 


THE   GREAT  BASIN.  267 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    GREAT   BASIN. 

Recruiting.  Our  Route.  Exhaustion.  Ben  Franklin's  sore  Feet. 
His  Moccasins.  Over  the  Great  Basin.  Travellers.  Utah  Lake. 
Mired.  Around  the  Head  of  Utah  Lake.  Game.  A  Buffalo 
Hunt.  Blackfoot  Visitors.  Another  Buffalo  Hunt.  Among  the 
Mountains.  Discovery  of  a  Rocky  Mountain  Grizzly.  My  Feel- 
ings. Slaying  of  the  Bear.  Characteristics  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain Bear.     Progress.     Game.     Camp  on  Muddy  Fork. 

After  a  stay  of  two  days  at  the  mounds,  recruit- 
ing our  animals  upon  the  scanty  herbage  which  skirted 
the  springs,  and  refiUing  our  water-bags,  we  started 
again  over  a  country  similar  to  that  which  we  had  just 
passed,  and  camped  at  night  on  the  desert.  The 
whole  of  the  next  day  we  travelled  on,  and  that  night 
our  supply  of  water  failed  again,  with  no  prospects  of 
relief.  The  next  day  we  travelled  forward,  in  the 
expectation  of  reaching  springs;  but  the  hope  was 
vain,  and  the  sufferings  of  the  cattle  became  even 
greater  than  before.  The  route  we  had  taken  no 
emigrant  had  ever  travelled,  and  all  our  information 
in  regard  to  it  had  been  derived  solely  from  an  old 
hunter  named  Walker,  whose  account,  though  per- 
fectly truthful,  was  difficult  to  understand.  We  had 
endeavored  to  follow  his  directions  implicitly,  but  it 
soon  became  evident  that  we  were  out  of  the  way; 
and  therefore,  when  we  stopped  at  night,  I  rode  out 


268  THE   GREAT   BASIN. 

to  reconnoitre  and  explore,  and,  in  the  course  of  the 
night,  I  found  springs  very  similar  to  those  we  had 
last  been  at,  about  ten  miles  distant.  The  next  day 
we  proceeded  towards  them;  but  so  dreadfully  ex- 
hausted were  the  animals  that  they  merely  staggered 
along,  and  it  was  night  again  before  they  could  wet 
their  parched  lips.  To  be  broken  down  in  the  desert 
is  like  being  dismantled  at  sea,  except  that,  in  many 
respects,  the  former  is  the  more  dreadful  of  the  two; 
but  a  happy  escape  in  either  case  seems  to  be  almost 
a  special  providence. 

Besides  the  want  of  water,  which  gave  me  so  much 
uneasiness,  my  bear  Ben  Franklin's  feet  became  very 
sore,  by  passing  over  so  many  sharp  stones  and  so 
much  hot  sand.  I  feared  that  he  would  be  perma- 
nently injured,  and  for  some  time  could  think  of  no 
remedy.  At  first,  I  put  him  in  the  wagon,  but  he 
had  become  so  delighted  with  the  privilege  of  follow- 
ing in  freedom  that  he  would  not  remain  there;  and, 
rather  than  have  him  fret  and  worry  himself  sick,  I 
determined  to  allow  him  his  liberty.  Before  doing 
so,  however,  I  placed  moccasins  upon  his  feet,  —  con- 
sisting of  soles  of  elk-hide  and  uppers  of  buckskin, 
sewed  together  with  thongs.  These  were  bound 
tightly  to  the  feet,  and  were  intended  to  remain  until 
entirely  worn  out.  As  was  to  be  anticipated,  the 
bear  at  first  endeavored  to  tear  them  off;  but  they 
were  so  tightly  bound  that  he  found  himself  unable 
to  either  bite  or  tear  them,  and  at  last  made  no  fur- 
ther attempts.  They  remained  on  for  a  couple  of 
weeks,  and  served  the  intended  purpose  admirably; 


THE    GREAT   BASIN.  269 

for  in  that  time  the  feet  were  perfectly  healed.  The 
plan  thus  adopted  I  made  use  of  on  several  occasions 
afterwards,  not  only  with  Ben,  but  also  with  Lady 
Washington. 

After  several  days  of  recruiting  we  again  advanced, 
expecting  that  the  next  water  we  would  strike  would 
be  Utah  Lake;  for,  since  leaving  the  Humboldt  Moun- 
tains, we  had  travelled  about  two  hundred  miles  or 
more.  During  this  day,  we  met  six  horsemen  driving 
a  few  packed  mules,  —  the  first  white  men  we  had 
seen  since  leaving  California.  They  had  wintered  at 
Salt  Lake,  they  said,  and  were  on  their  way  to  the 
Pacific.  After  a  few  moments'  conversation,  neither 
of  us  having  time  to  delay  in  the  desert,  we  proceeded 
on,  and  at  night  camped  as  usual.  The  next  evening 
we  came  in  sight  of  Utah  Lake,  a  large  body  of  water 
wath  tules  growing  profusely  around  its  edges,  and 
multitudes  of  birds,  such  as  geese,  ducks,  tule-hens, 
and  others,  flocking  about  it.  The  following  day 
we  struck  to  the  southeastward,  and  in  the  afternoon 
came  to  a  stream,  where  we  got  mired  in  attempting 
to  cross.  The  mud  was  very  black  and  foul,  and  so 
thick  that  we  were  compelled  to  uncouple  our  wagon 
and  pull  it  out  by  piecemeal.  But  however  disagree- 
able in  one  respect,  the  mud  was  not  without  its  ben- 
efit; for  it  showed  us  elk-tracks,  and  gave  us  to 
understand  that  we  were  again  in  the  country  of 
game. 

The  next  day,  passing  towards  the  east  around 
the  head  of  Utah  Lake,  we  crossed  a  number  of 
sloughs,  and,  towards  evening,  arrived  on  the  bank  of 


270  THE    GREAT   BASIN. 

a  deep  and  muddy  stream,  which  had  a  few  cotton- 
wood  trees  growing  on  its  borders.  It  was  necessary 
to  build  a  raft  to  ford  it,  and  this  detained  us  for 
an  entire  day.  During  the  next  several  days  we 
travelled  on,  crossing  various  streams,  some  of  good 
size,  others  small,  the  country  every  day  becoming 
more  hilly  and  better  stocked  with  game,  until  at  last 
we  camped  in  a  valley,  which  I  think  was  as  beautiful 
a  one  as  I  ever  saw.  The  undulating  hills  were 
covered  with  scattered  trees  of  large  size,  such  as 
oak,  pine,  cedar  and  fir,  and  the  bottoms  thickly 
swarded  with  grass;  and  on  every  side  there  were 
indications  of  deer,  antelopes,  elks,  buffaloes  and 
bears. 

We  determined,  on  the  morning  after  camping  in 
the  valley,  to  replenish  our  diminished  stores  before 
proceeding  further;  and  therefore,  taking  the  horse 
and  mules,  we  proceeded  eastward  in  search  of  buf- 
faloes. After  going  five  or  six  miles,  we  came  upon 
a  small  herd,  and  by  surrounding  and  rushing  upon 
them,  managed  to  kill  two.  We  might,  perhaps,  have 
slain  more,  but  our  animals  were  so  jaded  and  worn 
out  with  their  exertions  on  the  desert  that  the  buf- 
faloes easily  outran  them.  While  cutting  up  the 
game,  a  small  party  of  strange  Indians  approached 
us.  They  seemed  to  be  hunters,  and  were  well 
armed;  but  I  gathered  from  their  broken  English 
words  that  they  had  been  unsuccessful,  and  wanted 
something  to  eat.  I  of  course  gave  them  what  they 
wanted,  and  they  soon  after  went  off,  saying  that  the 
Indians  were  brothers  of  the  white  men,  and  ap- 


THE    GREAT    BASIN.  271 

parently  very  well  pleased  with  the  acquaintance. 
Upon  returning  to  camp  that  evening,  we  had  a  grand 
buffalo  roast,  and  enjoyed  ourselves  with  our  first 
good  meal  since  leaving  the  Humboldt  Mountains. 

The  next  day  we  killed  several  deer,  an  elk  and  six 
antelopes;  the  next,  four  deer  and  seven  or  eight 
foxes;  and  the  next,  had  another  buffalo  hunt.  On 
this  occasion  we  discovered  a  large  herd  in  a  steep, 
rocky  ravine.  As  we  approached,  they  raised  their 
heads,  snuffed  and  blew  the  air,  and  then,  turning 
their  tails,  ran  up  the  ravine.  We  followed,  and, 
upon  firing,  wounded  two,  one  of  which  Gray  pursued, 
and  Tuolumne  the  other,  while  I  followed  the  main 
herd.  The  course  they  had  taken  rose  very  rapidly, 
and  this  worried  them  so  much  that  I  soon  overtook 
and  wounded  a  third,  which  Gray  and  Tuolumne,  who 
had  despatched  theirs,  assisted  me  in  killing,  —  by 
which  time  the  main  herd  had  reached  another  valley 
and  disappeared.  Having  as  many  as  we  wanted, 
we  pursued  no  further,  but  set  ourselves  to  work 
dressing  the  game  thus  procured  and  packing  it  to 
camp.  On  the  road  back,  we  killed  an  elk  and  a 
number  of  foxes,  the  skins  of  which,  as  well  as  those 
of  the  buffaloes,  we  were  careful  to  preserve. 

After  spending  a  day  in  preparing  our  provisions, 
we  proceeded  again  in  a  northerly  direction,  through 
a  rough  country.  In  the  course  of  a  few  hours,  we 
fell  in  with  several  white  hunters,  who  told  us  that 
we  would  have  to  travel  about  seventy  miles  before 
we  could  meet  the  emigration  trail  running  through 
Salt  Lake  City.     We  travelled  along  in  a  mo'antain- 


272  THE    GREAT    BASIN. 

ous  country  that  day,  and  the  next  morning  started 
forward  before  sunrise,  being  anxious  to  reach  the 
trail.  Gray  rode  ahead  to  look  out  the  route,  but  he 
soon  came  hastily  back  to  say  that,  if  I  wanted  to 
fight  a  Rocky  Mountain  grizzly  bear,  he  could  take 
me  to  one  in  a  few  minutes;  but  he  added  that  it 
would  be  foolish  to  go  after  him,  as  our  team  was 
already  loaded  down.  It  would  be  foolish,  I  replied, 
to  allow  the  first  Rocky  Mountain  grizzly  we  had  met 
to  escape;  and  I  at  once  determined  to  give  him 
battle. 

Directing  Tuolumne  to  follow,  I  started  off  in  the 
direction  pointed  out,  and,  upon  reaching  a  bushy 
ravine,  saw  the  bear  busy  eating  berries  in  the  bushes. 
We  looked  with  curious  eyes  on  the  beast,  of  whose 
kind  we  had  heard  so  much  and  knew  so  little.  He 
appeared  small  in  comparison  with  the  grizzly  bear  of 
California,  but  so  many  stories  had  been  told  of  his 
ferocity  that  it  was  not  without  misgivings  that  we 
commenced  the  attack.  As  there  were  trees  in  the 
neighborhood,  I  felt  pretty  safe  in  any  event,  and  ac- 
cordingly, creeping  up,  gave  a  sharp  whistle,  such  as 
invariably  starts  the  California  bear;  but  it  appeared 
to  have  no  more  effect  upon  the  Rocky  Mountain  griz- 
zly than  the  singing  of  the  birds.  I  then  uttered  a 
yell,  to  see  if  that  would  rouse  him;  and  he  looked  up 
and  snuffed,  but  did  not  seem  to  be  very  much  dis- 
turbed. I  at  once  saw  that  I  had  a  different  animal 
to  deal  with  from  the  California  grizzly,  and  for  a 
while  his  imperturbability  appeared  terrible,  —  like 
the  consciousness  and  carelessness  of  immense  power. 


THE    GREAT   BASIN.  273 

The  reputation  of  the  beast  made  me  feel  nervous, 
and  it  was  some  time  before  I  could  steady  my  aim; 
indeed  before  firing  I  was  extraordinarily  careful  to 
see  that  my  pistol  and  knife  were  ready  for  a  close 
encounter,  and  that  a  tree  was  near  by  for  refuge. 
Having  thus  provided  for  the  worst,  I  drew  up  my 
rifle,  and  bored  the  bear  through  the  heart.  He 
bounded  up  a  few  times,  and  fell.  I  hastily  reloaded, 
and,  though  I  knew  from  the  struggles  and  character 
of  the  groans  of  the  beast  that  he  was  dying,  planted 
a  second  bullet  under  the  butt  of  the  ear,  and  stilled 
him  forever.  Thus  was  I  victorious  over  the  first 
Rocky  Mountain  grizzly  I  ever  saw. 

Proceeding,  according  to  my  practice,  to  cut  the 
bear's  throat,  I  noticed  that  he  had  light-colored  eyes, 
and  coarse,  long,  shaggy  hair,  almost  white.  He 
would  weigh  about  five  hundred  pounds,  and  was  as 
large  as  any  bear  I  saw  in  the  Rocky  Mountains; 
for  it  is  seldom  that  they  ever  exceed  this  size.  Tak- 
ing the  hide  and  a  portion  of  his  meat,  Tuolumne  and 
I  proceeded  on  and  soon  overtook  the  team,  managing, 
on  the  road,  to  kill  a  beautiful  silver-gray  fox,  the  skin 
of  which  we  also  preserved.  We  travelled  thence  till 
late  at  night  over  a  rugged  but  well-timbered  country, 
and  camped  on  a  small  stream.  Throughout  the  day 
the  signs  of  game  were  plenty  on  every  side,  but  we 
did  not  delay;  and  for  several  days  longer  we  con- 
tinued our  route,  until  finally,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  where  the  emigration  trail  crosses  Muddy  Fork,  we 
made  a  general  camp. 


274  THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 

Trading  with  the  Emigrants.  Visit  to  Salt  Lake  City.  The  Fourth 
of  July  at  Salt  Lake  City.  Mormon  Sayings  and  Mormon  Doings. 
Character  of  the  Mormon's  social  Organization.  A  Buffalo  Hunt. 
Lady  Washington's  Tractability.  Change  of  Position  of  Camp. 
Adventure  with  a  Bear.  Tuolumne  up  a  Tree.  The  Effect  of 
Pistol-shots.  Slaying  of  the  Bear.  Another  Grizzly.  His  Fright. 
Comparison  with  the  California  Grizzly.  Another  Buffalo  Hunt. 
A  lost  Cub.  Our  nightly  Guard.  A  visitor  at  Night.  Return 
of  the  Visitor  the  second  Night.  Respite  to  the  Buffaloes.  A 
Bear  and  her  Cubs  in  the  Water.  A  Combat  with  the  Bear. 
Maternal  Tenderness.  Passage  of  Words  with  Gray.  Immunity 
of  the  Hero.  Catching  of  the  Cubs.  The  Teeth  and  Tusks  of  the 
Grizzly.  Uneasiness  of  the  Cubs.  Funny  Joe.  Moving  of  the 
Camp.  Adventure  with  a  Bear.  Insanity  of  wild  Animals.  Dis- 
eases in  General. 

It  had  been  my  intention,  in  travelling  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  not  only  to  hunt  and  collect  ani- 
mals, but  also  to  trade  with  that  great  stream  of 
migrating  humanity,  which,  in  search  of  the  gold- 
bearing  hills  or  the  stock-raising  valleys  of  Califor- 
nia, poured  over  the  Rocky  INIountains  by  thousands 
during  the  whole  summer.  Before  commencing  at 
this  business,  however,  I  determined  to  visit  Salt 
Lake  City,  which  was  only  fifty  or  sixty  miles  dis- 
tant, and  see  that  noted  head-quarters  of  polygamy 
and  the  Mormons.  It  was  now  the  first  day  of  July; 
and,  as  it  is  the  custom  of  all  true  Americans,  in 
whatever  place  they  may  be,  to  make  the  Fourth  of 
July  a  holiday,  I  planned  the  trip  in  such  a  manner 


THE   ROCKY    MOUNTAINS.  275 

as  to  give  us  the  Fourth  in  the  city.  We  accord- 
ingly packed  up  our  mules  and  horse  with  meat  and 
hides,  and  taking  also  two  young  panthers,  two 
young  wolves,  and  two  fawns,  set  out  towards  the 
INIormon  head-quarters.  On  the  road  we  overtook 
many  wagons  and  families,  and  disposed  of  our 
meats  to  them,  long  before  our  arrival  in  the  city. 
The  greater  portion  brought  a  fair  price,  but  much 
we  gave  away  to  wayworn  and  weary  sufferers,  of 
whom  there  were  very  many  in  whose  behalf  our 
sympathies  were  called  into  exercise. 

After  travelling  two  days  and  a  half,  we  reached 
the  city  on  the  afternoon  of  July  3rd,  and  soon  sold 
our  hides  and  young  animals,  at  excellent  prices. 
We  then  took  a  view  of  the  city,  and  spent  the  rest 
of  the  day  in  passing  around  and  looking  at  the  wide, 
square  lots  into  which  it  is  divided.  On  the  Fourth, 
there  was  a  celebration  and  a  speech  in  the  temple, 
but  I  paid  little  attention  to  the  Mormon  talk,  I 
thought  then,  as  I  think  now,  that  it  does  no  good  to 
listen  to  what  the  Mormons  have  to  say,  but  it  may 
do  much  to  look  at  what  they  have  done,  and  what 
they  are  doing. 

It  has  been  usual  to  call  these  singular  people  fa- 
natics, and  I  can  see  no  harm  in  giving  them  their 
proper  names;  but  when  it  is  considered  that  all 
the  world  is  more  or  less  fanatical,  and  that  it  is 
the  privilege  of  only  a  few  to  deserve  the  name  of 
true  liberality,  I  can  hardly  look  upon  the  Mormons 
with  what  is  generally  considered  orthodox  contempt. 
There  must  be  something  good,  among  the  much  evil, 


276  THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 

to  keep  them  together,  and  their  wonderful  labors  in 
their  Rocky  Mountain  city  attest  the  fact  that  there 
is  at  least  earnestness  and  vigor  in  their  counsels. 
They  are  equal  to  the  Jews  of  old  in  their  hatred  of 
the  Gentiles;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  their  entire 
organization  and  polity  is  much  more  of  a  political 
than  of  a  religious  character. 

Upon  our  return,  we  spent  a  day  in  putting  things 
about  camp  to  rights,  and  the  next  day  set  out  upon 
a  buffalo  hunt,  and  managed  to  drive  a  large  herd  up 
a  rocky  ravine  in  the  side  of  a  mountain.  Gray 
wounded  one,  which  turned  to  fight;  but  Tuolumne 
laid  him  low  with  another  ball.  At  the  same  time  I 
wounded  a  second,  which  we  also  killed.  Pursuing 
up  the  ravine,  we  killed  a  third,  when  the  drove 
passed  over  into  another  ravine  and  escaped.  After 
dressing  our  meat,  we  watched  it  through  the  night, 
and  the  next  morning  Gray  and  one  of  the  Indians 
took  a  portion  of  it  on  the  mules  and  horse  to  the 
emigration  trail,  to  trade  it  off,  while  Tuolumne  and  I 
used  Lady  Washington  to  pack  the  remainder  to 
camp.  The  Lady  was  almost  as  tractable  with  Tuo- 
lumne as  with  myself,  and  would  obey  him  with  nearly 
as  much  submission.  She  was  thus,  under  all  circum- 
stances, a  very  valuable  assistant;  and  it  may  truly 
be  said,  that  on  many  occasions  she  was  of  as  much 
use  to  us  as  a  mule  or  a  horse  would  have  been. 

For  a  week  or  two  we  continued  in  this  neighbor- 
hood hunting  buffaloes  and  other  game,  and  trading; 
but  the  market  by  degrees  became  dull,  and  we 
moved  up  past  Fort  Bridger  to  a  spot  on  Ham's  Fork, 


THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS.  277 

between  the  trails  to  Salt  Lake  City  and  the  bend 
of  Bear  River.  Here  we  made  a  general  camp  again, 
and  commenced  a  system  of  hunting  and  trading, 
which  we  carried  on  with  more  or  less  success  for  a 
week  and  more,  during  which  time  we  also  had  sev- 
eral notable  adventures  with  grizzly  bears. 

On  the  day  after  arriving  there,  as  Tuolumne  and  I 
were  hunting,  we  discovered  a  grizzly  in  a  ravine. 
He  had  been  wallowing  in  a  pool,  and  was  covered 
with  mud,  which  dripped  from  his  long  and  shaggy 
hair.  As  he  came  leisurely  towards  us,  he  would 
now  and  then  lie  down  upon  the  grass  and  endeavor 
to  rub  the  mud  from  his  coat;  as  he  drew  near,  snuff- 
ing the  air  as  if  he  suspected  an  ambush,  I  fired  and 
struck  him  in  the  nostrils.  Tuolumne  immediately 
stepped  from  his  concealment  to  shoot;  but  the  bear 
seeing  his  movement  made  a  rush  towards  him,  and 
with  such  ferocity  that  the  boy  dropped  his  rifle  and 
sprang  up  a  pine-tree,  which  happened  to  stand  con- 
venient. 

The  bear  stopped  when  he  came  to  the  rifle,  which 
he  poked  and  smelled  and  snuffed  for  a  considerable 
time,  notwithstanding  Tuolumne  used  his  pistol  and 
fired  six  shots  into  him.  The  balls,  however,  ap- 
peared not  to  penetrate  through  the  fat,  and  the  brute 
paid  little  attention  to  them,  merely  grunting.  After 
turning  the  rifle  over  several  times,  the  beast  placed 
one  paw  upon  the  stock  and  the  other  under  the  bar- 
rel, as  if  about  to  break  it,  and,  in  doing  so,  rose  on  his 
haunches.  This  afforded  me  a  fair  aim  at  his  breast; 
and  being  by  this  time  reloaded,  I  planted  a  ball  in 


278  THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 

his  heart,  where  the  first  ought  to  have  struck.  And 
yet  even  this  did  not  kill  him,  so  tenacious  of  life  was 
he;  on  the  contrary,  he  ran  at  least  three  hundred 
yards  to  the  pool  in  which  he  had  been  wallowing.  I 
pursued,  but,  finding  him  in  his  death-struggles,  did 
not  fire  again.  Upon  examination  we  found  that  my 
rifle-ball  had  passed  through  the  apex  of  the  heart, 
but  the  pistol-balls  were  only  imbedded  in  the  fat  of 
the  sides. 

After  cutting  up  the  bear  and  washing  the  hide,  we 
made  a  dinner  of  bear-meat,  and  then  threw  ourselves 
in  the  shade  of  a  tree  to  pass  the  heat  of  the  day. 
In  the  evening,  soon  after  we  started  on  our  return 
to  camp,  we  discovered  another  grizzly  bear  upon  a 
knoll.  He  saw  us  as  soon  as  we  saw  him,  and  I  sup- 
posed he  would  attack  us;  but,  instead  of  doing  so, 
he  merely  rose  on  his  hind  legs  and  looked  curiously 
at  us.  I  directed  Tuolumne  to  fire,  which  he  ac- 
cordingly did,  but  at  the  discharge  the  beast  gave  a 
tremendous  growl,  and  bounded  off  over  the  hill  out 
of  sight.  Had  he  been  a  California  grizzly,  he  would 
doubtless  have  attacked  us,  at  least  after  the  fire;  but 
the  Rocky  Mountain  beast  is  not  always  so  ready  to 
fight.  He  is  more  dangerous  than  the  Californi? 
grizzly  in  his  disposition  to  follow  up  a  trail,  but  in 
a  fight,  though  terrible  enough,  he  is  not  to  be  feared 
like  his  cousin  of  the  Sierra. 

The  next  day,  Gray  having  succeeded  well  in  dis- 
posing of  meat  to  the  emigrants,  we  made  another 
buffalo  hunt.  After  going  a  few  miles  we  came  upon 
a  herd  of  about  one  hundred,  which  we  surrounded. 


THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS.  279 

At  a  concerted  signal  the  whole  party  advanced,  and 
the  buffaloes  were  so  bewildered  that  for  a  short  time 
they  knew  not  which  way  to  turn;  so  that  we  were 
able  to  rush  into  their  midst  and  fire  at  close  quarters. 
The  leg  of  one  was  broken,  but  the  others  fled. 
Leaving  the  Indians  to  finish  the  wounded  one,  we 
pursued  the  drove,  and  managed  to  overtake  and  kill 
another.  Upon  our  return  to  camp,  we  unexpectedly 
met  a  little  brown  bear  cub,  about  four  months  old, 
which  seemed  to  be  lost.  I  endeavored  to  catch  it, 
but  not  being  able,  fired;  and  that  evening  we  had 
supper  of  its  flesh. 

During  all  the  time  that  we  were  in  this  country, 
we  continued  night  after  night  to  keep  a  guard  over 
our  camp;  for  though  there  was  not  much  to  lose  in 
the  way  of  property,  it  was  still  all  that  we  possessed. 
The  guard  usually  consisted  of  two  persons,  relieved 
at  midnight  by  two  others.  The  last  guard,  on  one 
particular  night,  were  Tuolumne  and  one  of  the 
Indians,  who  reported  to  me  in  the  morning  that  a 
strange  bear  had  entered  camp,  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Lady  Washington,  and,  after  a  tete-a-tete  of 
an  hour  or  so,  had  retired  again,  in  a  very  peaceable 
and  orderly  manner,  to  the  mountain  from  which  he 
came.  They  had  not  called  me  because  of  my 
fatigue  during  the  day,  they  said,  and  because  the 
visitor  had  been  so  civil  that  they  did  not  think  it 
necessary  to  disturb  me.  I  however  directed  that 
if  such  a  case  should  occur  again,  they  should  not 
fail  to  let  me  know. 

The  next  night  the  visitor  returned,  and,  being  in- 


280  THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 

formed  of  it,  I  got  up.  It  was  about  midnight,  but 
the  moon  was  shining,  so  that  we  could  easily  see  him 
approaching  the  Lady,  who  was  chained  to  a  tree  as 
usual  at  night.  I  took  my  rifle  with  the  intention  of 
killing  the  beast,  but,  on  second  thought,  concluded 
that  it  would  be  more  to  our  advantage  to  give  him 
the  freedom  of  the  camp,  and,  accordingly,  did  not 
disturb  him.  He  remained  until  dawn,  and  then 
retired.  On  the  occasion  of  his  return  the  next 
night,  —  for,  like  a  loyal  lover,  he  was  very  atten- 
tive, —  Gray  advised  that  he  should  be  killed;  but  I 
opposed  the  proposition,  and,  for  what  I  know,  he  still 
roams  in  his  native  haunts. 

By  this  time  we  had  amassed  quite  a  sum  of  cash 
by  selling  buffalo-meat  to  the  emigrants,  and  had 
purchased  for  ourselves  a  second  horse  among  other 
things;  but  these  adventures  filled  my  head  with  ideas 
of  bear  hunting,  and  I  determined  to  give  the  buffaloes 
respite,  and  turn  my  attention  to  the  grizzlies  exclu- 
sively. We  accordingly  moved  on  to  a  deep  ravine, 
covered  with  chaparral  and  trees.  Soon  after  reach- 
ing it,  we  found  a  fresh  bear-track,  and,  hitching 
our  horses,  followed  it  up  by  crawling  among  the 
bushes,  and  presently  came  upon  an  old  bear  play- 
ing with  two  cubs  in  a  pool.  She  would  poke  one  in 
the  water  with  her  paw,  and  then  the  other,  and, 
as  they  jumped  back  towards  her,  she  would  poke 
them  ofl'  again,  —  presenting  thus  an  interesting  and 
beautiful  sight;  for  what  can  be  more  interesting  or 
beautiful,  among  animals  as  well  as  among  human  be- 
ings, than  to  see  a  mother  playing  with  her  offspring  ? 


THE   ROCKY    MOUNTAINS.  281 

I  looked  a  considerable  time  upon  the  scene, 
and  did  not  fire  till  she  appeared  about  ready  to 
withdraw,  when,  as  it  happened,  I  merely  broke  her 
shoulder.  She  rushed  for  me  at  once,  but  I  seized 
my  rifle  by  the  barrel  and  struck  her  over  the  head, 
and  then  jumped  to  the  bed  of  the  creek  and  drew 
my  knife,  with  which  I  dealt  her  a  stab  in  the  flank. 
As  I  struck,  she  reared  upon  me  and  bore  me  to  the 
ground ;  and,  while  she  placed  her  paw  upon  my  head, 
bit  me  severely  in  the  shoulder,  the  marks  of  which 
I  still  bear.  I  lay  perfectly  still,  however,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  the  cubs  began  bawling,  when  the  old 
bear,  seeing  no  resistance  in  me,  turned  to  them. 
Seizing  this  opportunity,  I  sprang  to  my  feet  again 
and  drew  my  pistol;  but,  observing  at  a  glance  that 
the  stab  in  the  flank  was  fatal,  I  did  not  fire.  The 
poor  brute  was  evidently  dying,  though  she  tried  to 
pacify  her  cubs.  Although  I  stood  but  a  few  yards 
distant,  she  had  not  the  strength  to  come  at  me;  for 
she  had  bled,  and  was  still  bleeding,  profusely.  As 
I  watched  her  licking  her  young  and  giving  them  her 
last  attentions,  as  if  conscious  of  the  approach  of 
death,  I  thought  there  was  something  of  the  human 
in  the  bear,  and  was  sorry  I  had  shot  so  afifectionate 
a  mother. 

As  she  expired,  I  looked  around  for  my  compan- 
ions, but  they  were  nowhere  to  be  seen.  I  looked  up 
to  heaven,  and  exclaimed  to  myself,  "The  cowards 
leave  me;"  then  I  called  as  loud  as  I  could,  "Gray, 
Gray!"  He  answered,  "Halloo!"  "Where  are 
you?"  cried  I.     He  replied  at  a  distance  of  about 


282  THE   ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 

a  hundred  yards,  "I  am  here."  I  asked  if  he  ex- 
pected to  help  me  there?  and  called  that  he  should 
come  and  catch  these  cubs,  for  I  had  despatched 
the  bear;  but  he  asked,  "Is  she  dead?"  This 
made  me  angry,  and  I  replied,  "She  is  dead,  but 
it  was  no  coward  that  killed  her."  Gray  grumbled 
something  in  return,  and  came  poking  and  cracking 
through  the  brush,  and  exclaimed,  "Adams,  I  thought 
you  were  gone  this  time."  "It  is  only  cowards," 
said  I,  "who  are  gone  in  the  hour  of  danger.  You 
have  acted  in  this  affair  like  a  miserable  coyote." 
This  language,  at  another  time,  would  certainly  have 
been  resented;  but  when  a  man  accomplishes  any 
difficult  deed,  and  particularly  under  such  circum- 
stances as  these,  he  enjoys  a  certain  degree  of  im- 
munity, and  can  growl  as  he  pleases. 

I  now  directed  Gray  and  Stanislaus  to  catch  the 
cubs;  but,  seeing  that  they  were  not  quick  enough, 
I  cried  out  impatiently,  "You  are  more  clumsy  than 
cowardly;  see  the  Old  Hunter  catch  them."  I  then 
took  off  my  cap,  and,  leaping  with  it  upon  the  head 
of  one  of  the  cubs,  seized  him  with  a  powerful  grip, 
and,  holding  him  up,  cried,  "See  there!"  Sanis- 
laus  answered  he  could  catch  the  other,  and,  in  a  few 
moments,  did  so;  and  thus  we  had  two  additions  to 
our  stock  of  live  bears,  besides  the  body  of  the  dam, 
which  we  cut  up  as  usual.  The  cubs  were  not  more 
than  a  month  or  two  old,  and  had  no  teeth  worth 
mentioning;  and,  in  this  connection,  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  grizzly  bear  generally  cuts  its  teeth  at  about 
two  months.     It  does  not  have  full  teeth  till  its  matu- 


THE   ROCKY    MOUNTAINS.  283 

rity,  at  about  two  years  of  age,  though  it  has  a  dan- 
gerous mouth  at  six  months.  Every  year  a  ring  is 
added  to  its  tusks,  —  the  first  ring  being  for  the  sec- 
ond year;  and  as  the  animal  sometimes  reaches  the 
age  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  years,  a  corresponding  num- 
ber of  rings  are  found. 

We  camped  this  night  near  the  scene  of  the  cap- 
ture, partly  on  account  of  the  lateness  of  the  hour, 
and  partly  on  account  of  my  wound,  —  which,  however, 
gave  my  companions  more  alarm  than  it  did  me,  or 
than  it  merited.  During  the  night  our  cubs  yelped 
dreadfully;  and,  as  we  had  nothing  to  feed  them  with 
it  was  impossible  to  quiet  them  until  we  reached  the 
general  camp  the  next  day,  when  we  gave  them 
water,  flour,  and  sugar,  mixed  together,  and  they 
thrived  well.  One  of  them,  which  I  subsequentlj' 
named  Funny  Joe,  became  a  companion  for  me,  next 
in  my  esteem  to  Ben  Franklin  and  Lady  Washington. 

In  a  few  days  after  this  adventure,  finding  the  buf- 
faloes growing  scarce  in  the  region,  we  moved  on  over 
a  rugged,  mountainous  country  to  Smith's  Fork  of 
Bear  River,  where  we  hunted  for  several  days,  and 
had  good  success.  One  evening,  while  here,  we  came 
across  a  grizzly  feeding  on  the  carcass  of  a  buffalo. 
As  he  was  very  busily  engaged  at  his  meal,  I  had  no 
difficulty  in  approaching,  and  fired  at  his  heart.  The 
ball  appeared  to  strike  correctly,  but  had  a  singular 
effect;  for  the  bear,  instead  of  rushing  at  me  or  run- 
ning off,  wheeled  around  like  a  dog  trying  to  catch 
his  tail,  —  different  from  any  bear  I  ever  saw  before  or 
since.     He  seemed,   indeed,   to   be  crazy;    probably 


284  THE   ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 

some  nerve  intimately  connected  with  the  brain  had 
been  injured.  He  continued  thus  to  turn  around 
until  Gray  and  Tuolumne  rushed  up  and  planted  their 
balls  in  his  body,  when  he  jumped  up  and  rushed 
towards  us;  but,  as  he  did  so,  I  planted  a  fourth  ball 
in  his  breast,  and  he  fell  dead.  I  had  some  curiosity 
in  examining  him  afterwards,  and  found  that  my  first 
ball  had  struck  the  spine;  and  this,  I  presume,  was 
the  cause  of  his  singular  action.  It  is,  doubtless,  no 
impossible  thing  for  a  bear  to  be  affected  with  insan- 
ity, even  without  mechanical  injury  to  the  brain;  but 
this  disease  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  rarities,  except 
among  domesticated  animals,  —  and  even  among  them 
only  in  cases  where  the  laws  of  nature  are  outra- 
geously violated.  Disease  of  any  kind  among  wild 
animals  is  rare;  and  I  am  well  satisfied,  reasoning  by 
analogy,  that  the  long  list  of  ailments  which  plague 
the  human  family  are  nearly  all  of  its  own  making; 
in  other  words,  they  are  adjuncts  of  the  abuses  of 
civilization. 


THE   SIERRA    NEVADA   AGAIN.  285 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    SIERRA    NEVADA   AGAIN. 

Settling  of  Accounts  with  Gray.  Departure  of  Gray.  My  Bank  of 
Deposit.  Travel  towards  California.  Picking  up  abandoned 
Animals.  Camp  at  the  Foot  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  Adventure 
with  a  Bear  at  Night.  Passage  of  the  Sierra.  Progress  of  Cali- 
fornian  Settlement  and  Improvements.  Fire  in  the  Mountains. 
Vestiges  of  my  old  Camping-ground.  Repairs.  Departure  of 
the  Indians.  Letter  from  my  Brother.  Bears  for  South  America. 
Adventure  with  a  Blacksmith  at  Stockton.  I  make  a  Figure  in 
Stockton.  Unceremonious  Treatment  of  a  Gentleman.  Shake- 
speare. A  general  Treat.  A  Californian  Crowd.  Its  Charac- 
teristics. 

About  the  first  of  August,  Gray  came  in  one  even- 
ing and  stated  that  he  wished  to  close  our  engage- 
ment. He  said  that  he  had  met  friends,  who  were 
on  their  way  to  the  Atlantic  States,  and  that  he  de- 
sired to  accompany  them.  I  did  all  in  my  power  to 
dissuade  him,  but  found  it  of  no  avail;  and  we  moved 
up  to  the  trading-post,  where  his  friends  were  re- 
cruiting, and  proceeded  to  settle  our  accounts.  We 
sold  out  everything  we  could,  and  divided  the  pro- 
ceeds and  the  remainder  of  the  property  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  of  our  agreement,  —  he  re- 
ceiving one  third  and  I  two  thirds.  When  all  was 
done,  I  had  left,  as  my  portion  of  the  wild  stock,  be- 
sides the  Lady  and  Ben,  two  bears,  two  panthers  — 
which  soon  afterwards  died,  —  two  deer,  two  wolves, 
various  foxes  and  skins,  and  about  one  thousand  dol- 


286  THE   SIERRA    NEVADA   AGAIN. 

lars  in  coin.  After  the  division,  Gray  withdrew  and 
took  up  his  camp  with  his  friends;  and  this  was  the 
last  I  ever  saw  of  him.  He  was  a  good  hunter,  but, 
like  most  hunters,  not  over  fond  of  grizzly  bears. 

The  day  after  Gray  left  us,  I  concluded  to  make  a 
safe  deposit  of  my  money,  and  sent  Tuolumne,  Stanis- 
laus, and  the  Indians  on  a  hunt,  for  I  did  not  wish 
to  let  them  know  anything  about  it.  When  they  were 
well  out  of  sight,  I  pried  up  the  bed  of  my  wagon, 
and,  going  to  work  with  auger  and  chisel,  cut  a  hole 
several  inches  in  extent  in  the  heavy  white-oak  axle- 
tree.  In  this  I  deposited  my  purse,  containing  the 
money,  and  after  plugging  it  up  covered  it  over  with 
tin,  and  then  replaced  the  bed.  While  working,  I  was 
asked  several  times,  by  persons  who  happened  to  pass, 
w^hat  I  was  cutting  the  hole  for;  and  they  remarked 
that  it  would  certainly  weaken  and  injure  the  axle- 
tree.  I  replied  that  I  wanted  to  have  a  mortise  in 
which  to  hoist  a  pole,  and  stretch  a  canvas;  but  in 
every  case  the  questioners  seemed  to  cast  a  look  of 
compassion  on  me,  possibly  thinking  I  was  not  very 
sound  in  the  head,  and  passed  on. 

The  next  day  we  set  out  on  our  return  to  California, 
intending  to  take  the  emigration  road,  and  hunt  only 
sufficiently  to  provide  for  our  own  wants.  According- 
ly we  proceeded  by  the  way  of  Fort  Hall  and  Lewis's 
Fork,  along  the  regular  road,  until  we  again  ap- 
proached the  boundaries  of  California.  In  the  course 
of  the  travel,  we  picked  up  three  horses,  six  cows, 
and  two  oxen,  which  had  been  abandoned  by  the 
emigrants;   and  travelling  along  slowly,  as  was  neces- 


THE   SIERRA    NEVADA   AGAIN.  287 

sary  with  these  worn-out  animals,  we  reached  the  foot 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  (near  where  I  had  crossed  in 
the  spring,)  towards  the  end  of  September.  There 
was  ah-eady  considerable  snow  on  the  peaks,  and  be- 
fore attempting  to  cross  I  directed  a  camp  to  be 
made,  and  determined  to  spend  several  days  to  re- 
cruit. 

Since  leaving  the  Rocky  Mountains  we  had  not 
seen  a  single  bear  except  our  pets,  but  as  soon  as  we 
camped  under  the  Sierra,  the  beast  was  not  long  in 
paying  his  attentions  to  us.  The  very  first  night  of 
our  encampment  I  was  waked  up  with  information  of 
beasts  among  the  cattle,  and  going  out  to  ascertain 
the  difficulty,  discovered  the  long,  whitish  hairs  of  a 
huge  grizzly  waving  in  the  breeze.  He  had  killed 
one  of  my  cows,  and  was  lapping  the  blood  as  it  ran 
from  her  neck,  into  which  he  had  eaten.  There  was 
only  starlight,  but  I  knew  my  game  intimately,  and 
did  not  for  a  moment  think  of  letting  him  off  without 
full  payment  for  the  care  and  trouble  I  had  had  in 
nursing  the  cow.  Accordingly,  posting  Tuolumne  and 
Stanislaus  in  positions  behind  trees,  as  a  reserve  in 
case  of  necessity,  I  crept  up  to  a  small  clump  of 
bushes  near  the  bear,  and,  preparing  my  arms,  raised 
my  rifle.  The  bear  was  busy  tearing  the  flesh  of  the 
dead  cow,  and  did  not  perceive  me;  but  as  I  whistled 
he  jumped  upon  his  hind  legs  and  fronted  towards 
me,  and  I  planted  the  ball  in  the  right  place.  He 
fell  over,  and,  at  the  same  moment,  drawing  my  knife, 
I  leaped  upon  him  and  plunged  it  to  his  heart;  for  I 
knew  that  should  he  have  time  to  get  up,  my  hfe 


288  THE    SIERRA    NEVADA    AGAIN. 

might  pay  the  forteit  of  my  slowness.  Happily  the 
ball  and  knife  together  gave  him  his  quietus,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  being  knocked  over  by  his 
death-struggle,  I  escaped  unharmed.  As  I  fell,  the 
boys  rushed  up  to  assist,  but  the  bear  expired  in  a 
few  moments;  and  we  cut  him  up,  and  fried  out  of 
him  about  fifteen  gallons  of  oil  at  our  leisure. 

On  the  fifth  day  after  reaching  this  place  we  again 
yoked  up,  and  commenced  the  passage  of  the  moun- 
tains, which  we  accomplished  in  a  few  days.  The 
soft  snow  which  we  encountered  gave  us  much  diffi- 
culty, and  kept  us  diligently  at  work  brushing  it  from 
the  wheels  of  our  wag^n,  but  by  persistently  pushing 
along  we  succeeded  in  reaching  the  summit,  and  then 
ran  down  as  fast  as  possible  on  the  California  side, 
through  familiar  scenes.  All  this  then  wild  region 
has  since  been  taken  up  by  private  owners,  and  an 
immense  reservoir  of  water,  for  mining  purposes,  has 
been  made  of  the  flat  which  I  used  to  cross  daily  with 
my  team.  And  thus,  I  have  no  doubt,  it  would  be 
found  that  in  many  of  the  spots  where  I  fought  bears, 
and  saw  nothing  but  a  wilderness,  there  is  now  im- 
provement and  civilization.  The  varied  drama  of 
social  life,  not  the  adventures  of  a  lonely  hunter,  is 
now  being  enacted  there. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  days  I  reached  my  old  camp- 
ing-ground near  the  head  waters  of  the  Tuolumne 
River;  but,  alas  for  the  stability  of  earthly  things  I 
there  had  been  a  fire  in  the  region,  and  my  old  habi- 
tation and  all  my  traps  had  been  burned  to  ashes. 
With  the  exception  of  the  tools,  which  had  been  con- 


THE    SIERRA    NEVADA    AGAIN.  289 

cealed  in  the  old  cave,  not  a  vestige  of  my  camping 
fixtures  and  apparatus  remained.  However,  we  had 
stout  hearts  and  willing  hands,  and  going  to  work, 
put  up,  in  the  course  of  a  week,  a  new  cabin  and  sta- 
ble, both  snug  and  tight,  and  laid  in  a  stock  of  hay 
for  winter  consumption,  and  also  built  three  traps. 
In  a  few  days  after  all  this  work  was  done,  the  In- 
dians who  had  been  with  me  during  the  summer  took 
their  departure;  and,  as  they  went,  I  gave  them 
enough  of  an  outfit  and  money  to  make  them  nabobs 
among  their  people;  but  Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus 
remained  and  assisted  in  the  duties  of  camp. 

In  a  few  weeks  after  my  return,  I  received  letters 
from  my  brother  William,  who  was  then  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, informing  me  of  a  contract  he  had  made  to  send 
two  large  and  one  small  grizzly  bear  to  Lima,  in  South 
America,  and  requesting  to  know  whether  they  could 
be  provided  at  short  notice.  I  replied,  by  letter,  that 
I  had  a  large  and  a  small  bear,  —  referring  to  two  at 
Howard's,  —  and  thought  that  in  a  few  weeks  I  could 
provide  another;  —  and,  as  fortune  willed  it,  in  a  few 
nights  afterwards  we  caught  a  large  bear  in  one  of  the 
traps.  I  now  immediately  wrote  my  brother  that  I 
would  deliver  the  three  bears  at  Stockton  at  a  certain 
time,  when  he  should  be  present,  or  have  an  agent 
present,  to  receive  them.  I  then  set  to  work  to  build 
a  cage  for  the  last  bear,  and  in  the  meanwhile  de- 
spatched Tuolumne  to  Howard's  for  a  team,  which  he 
brought  up;  and  in  a  few  days  afterwards,  everything 
being  prepared,  I  set  out  with  the  bear  in  its  cage 
upon  the  wagon  for  Howard's.     There,  I  engaged  a 


290  THE   SIERRA    NEVADA    AGAIN. 

teamster  to  haul  the  bears  which  were  at  Howard's, 
and  we  two  set  out  in  company  for  Stockton. 

Nothing  worthy  of  special  note  occurred  until  we 
approached  the  city  of  Stockton,  when  a  blacksmith 
of  the  place  accosted  us,  and  wanted  to  know  what 
we  had  in  our  wagons.  I  answered  that  we  had  griz- 
zly bears.  He  replied  that  we  had  no  business  taking 
bears  into  the  city,  and  went  on  to  say  that  a  man 
named  Dunbar  had  been  killed  by  one  a  few  days  be- 
fore; "and,"  continued  he,  "we  are  not  going  to 
have  any  more  fights  in  this  city."  Now,  as  this 
blacksmith  was  a  citizen,  and  talked  like  a  citizen,  he 
put  me  in  mind  of  a  certain  public-spirited  smith, 
named  Demetrius,  who  once  stirred  up  a  sedition  in 
the  city  of  Ephesus,  as  is  related  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  I  called  the  modern  smith's  attention  to 
the  ancient  smith's  story,  cautioned  him  against  the 
dangers  of  uproar,  and  drove  on. 

I  suppose  I  must  have  presented  quite  a  figure 
with  my  buckskin  costume  and  unshaven  face  at 
Stockton,  for  I  found  myself  followed  by  a  large 
crowd;  and  when  the  cages  were  placed  upon  the 
wharf  for  shipment  by  steamer  to  San  Francisco, 
there  was  a  great  multitude  of  people  collected. 
Some  of  them,  more  curious  than  wise,  poked  sticks 
at,  and  otherwise  annoyed,  the  bears,  until  one  indi- 
vidual happening  to  get  too  close  to  one  of  the  cages, 
suddenly  lost  a  pawful  of  meat,  the  want  of  which 
probably  interferes  with  his  comfort,  while  sitting,  to 
this  day.  The  consequence  at  the  time,  as  was  to 
have  been  anticipated,  was  an  excitement;    and  the 


THE   SIERRA    NEVADA   AGAIN.  291 

gentleman,  so  unceremoniously  treated,  drew  his  pistol 
and  swore  revenge.  Now,  I  have  always  been  an 
admirer  of  that  passage  in  Hamlet  which  runs, 
"Nay,  an  thou'lt  mouth,  I'll  rant  as  well  as  thou/'' 
and  snatching  out  my  own  pistol,  I  informed  the 
gentleman  that  the  bear  had  committed  nothing  more 
than  a  justifiable  assault  and  battery,  and  I  would, 
therefore,  stand  by  it  to  the  last  wag  of  my  eyelids. 
The  gentleman  swore  not  a  little  at  this,  and  I  ranted 
in  return,  while  the  crowd  shouted,  "Hurrah  for  the 
Wild  Yankee."  This  interference  of  the  crowd  cooled 
the  gentleman's  ardor,  and  he  soon  afterwards  with- 
drew; but  the  crowd  remained,  and,  as  soon  as  the 
animals  were  shipped,  I  could  do  no  more  than  ask 
them  to  drink  at  my  expense;  and  they  were  not 
backward,  as  my  purse  soon  experienced. 

A  Californian  crowd  is  very  different  from  a  crowd 
in  any  other  part  of  the  world  of  which  I  have  had 
any  experience.  It  is  usually  composed  of  men  who 
have  seen  much  of  life,  and  learned  much  of  human 
nature.  Though  given  to  excitement,  and  disposed 
often  to  disregard  the  formulas  of  society,  they 
almost  invariably  arrive  at  the  moral  right  of  a  sub- 
ject, and  do  justice  with  more  unerring  certainty 
than  the  most  nicely-adjusted  legal  tribunals,  which 
are  too  much  bound  up  and  hampered  by  antiquated 
dicta  and  decisions.  A  spectator  is  surprised  at  the 
order  and  temperance  of  counsel,  which  actuates  the 
motions  of  a  California  meeting.  Although  a  thou- 
sand technically  unlawful  assemblies  have  taken  place 
in  the  State,  there  has  seldom  been  such  a  thing  as 
a  tumult. 


292  SAMSON. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SAMSON. 

The  Tracks  of  a  huge  Grizzly.     On  the  Watch.     Appearance  of  the 
Bear.     Building  of  a  Trap.     The  Snowy  Season.     The  Tracks  at  the 
Trap.     Watching  the  Trap.     The  Roaring  of  the  Bear.     The  Grizzly 
in  the  Trap.     The  Violence  of  the  Bear.     Subjugation.     Samson' 
Size  and  Disposition.     Removal  of  Camp.     Trapping  at  the  Mouti 
of  the  Merced  River.     Willow  Timber.     Final  Departure  of  Tuo- 
lumne and  Stanislaus.     Their  Character.     Engagement  of  Combe. 
Condition    of    Samson.     Caging    of    Samson.     Loading    the    Cag*" 
Howard's   Journey    to    Corral    Hollow.     Corral    Hollow.     Contrac 
with  Wright      Our  Hunting.     The  Kern  River  Emigration.     Combe. 
Wright's  Fear  of  Grizzly  Bears. 

I  HAVE  come  now,  in  the  course  of  my  story,  to  the 
capture  of  Samson,  the  largest  specimen  of  the  griz- 
zly species,  perhaps,  that  ever  was  taken  alive.  I  dis- 
covered his  huge  tracks  in  a  ravine  which  was  full  of 
rocks,  trees,  and  bushes,  a  few  days  after  my  return 
from  Stockton  to  my  mountain  camp.  No  sooner  had 
I  seen  the  prints  of  this  magnificent  animal's  paws  than 
I  determined  to  capture  him  at  all  hazards;  and  the 
next  morning,  before  day,  I  placed  myself  upon  the 
watch,  for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  the  locality  of 
his  den,  and  choosing  the  proper  spot  for  a  trap. 

After  lying  behind  a  rock  for  about  an  hour  and  a 
half,  happening  to  cast  my  eyes  down  the  trail,  I  be- 
held the  monster  advancing,  with  his  head  raised  and 
Snuffing  the  air.     I  had  never  seen  so  large  a  bear 


SAMSOX 


SAMSON.  293 

before;  he  looked  like  a  moving  mountain,  and  my 
heart  fluttered  for  fear  of  being  discovered;  but  he 
passed  on  up  the  ravine,  and  disappeared  in  the  chap- 
arraL  I  had  seen  enough  for  my  purpose,  but,  as 
a  matter  of  precaution,  remained  still  for  some  time 
after  he  had  disappeared;  and  then,  getting  up,  I 
chose  a  spot,  which  he  would  certainly  pass  in  his 
nightly  excursions,  and  to  which  there  was  a  fair 
road  for  a  wagon.  The  next  day  I  took  the  boys 
and  the  oxen,  and  we  went  to  work  felling  and  haul- 
ing logs,  and  in  the  course  of  a  week  finished  the 
largest,  strongest,  and  best  trap  we  had  ever  built. 

It  was  now  about  the  middle  of  November,  and  the 
rainy  season,  or  what  in  the  mountains  is  more  appro- 
priately called  the  snowy  season,  had  set  in.  The 
game  had  commenced  moving  down  the  Sierra,  and 
we  killed  various  bears,  deer,  and  other  game;  but 
for  a  week  or  more  we  neither  heard  nor  saw  any- 
thing of  the  big  bear,  and  feared  that  he  had  left  the 
region.  One  morning,  however,  when  we  had  nearly 
despaired  of  ever  seeing  him  again,  it  was  evident  that 
he  had  not  only  visited  but  actually  been  in  the  trap. 
His  tracks  were  plainly  to  be  seen,  but  for  some  unac- 
countable reason  or  other  the  trap  had  not  sprung. 
The  fact  of  his  presence  renewed  my  almost  extin- 
guished hopes,  and  I  immediately  adjusted  the  trap 
with  the  greatest  nicety;  and  to  make  still  more 
sure,  I  determined  to  pass  the  next  night  within  hear- 
ing distance;  so  that,  in  case  of  catching,  I  might  be 
certain  of  securing  him.  At  the  same  time,  as  it  was 
necessary  to  be  particular  not  to  disturb  the  trail,  — 


294  SAMSON. 

as  when  disturbed  bears  will  often  leave  a  region,  —  I 
erected  a  small  tent  about  half  a  mile  down  the  ra- 
vine, and  about  five  hundred  feet  lower  in  level  than 
the  trap,  where  Tuolumne  and  I  slept  for  two  nights 
without  either  provisions  or  fire;  and,  as  will  be  read- 
ily imagined,  we  had  rather  a  comfortless  time  of  it, 
and  particularly  so  as  we  waited  in  vain  to  hear  of 
our  expected  visitor. 

In  the  middle  of  the  third  night,  however,  I  was 
waked  out  of  sleep  by  a  terrific  roaring.  It  was 
the  awfullest  roaring  and  echoing  in  the  mountains  I 
ever  heard,  with  the  single  exception  of  an  appalling 
thunderstorm  in  the  Humboldt  Mountains,  which  oc- 
curred the  summer  before.  I  jumped  up  at  once  and 
ran  out  of  the  tent  to  listen  what  could  be  the  cause 
of  the  noise,  and  soon  concluded  that  it  could  be  noth- 
ing else  but  the  bear  in  my  trap.  The  night  was 
cold,  with  a  light  snow  on  the  ground,  but  I  called 
Tuolumne,  and  we  at  once  lighted  our  torches  and 
proceeded  to  the  trap.  As  we  approached,  the  bear 
made  a  tremendous  lunge  towards  us,  and  I  thought 
for  a  moment  that  he  would  burst  out;  but  the  trap 
was  made  of  the  strongest  timbers,  and  withstood  his 
assaults.  We  directly  built  a  rousing  fire,  and  then 
went  to  work  securing  the  trap  with  additional  tim- 
bers; for,  by  peeping  in  at  the  cracks,  we  soon  satis- 
fied ourselves  that  our  prize  was  one  of  the  largest 
in  the  land. 

I  was  compelled  to  watch  this  trap  night  and  day 
for  more  than  a  week,  during  which  time  Tuolumne 
brought  provisions  and  water,  and  some  nights  would 


SAMSON.  295 

remain  with  me.  During  (his  time,  the  bear  con- 
tinued violent;  he  would  bite  and  tear  the  logs  with 
his  teeth  and  claws,  and  frequently  made  the  struc- 
ture fairly  tremble  with  his  prodigious  strength.  We 
had  sometimes  to  beat  him  with  an  iron  rod,  and  at 
others  to  throw  in  firebrands  —  which  he  fought  with 
the  same  effect  that  the  viper  bit  the  file  —  to  prevent 
him  tearing  his  prison  to  pieces.  On  the  eighth  or 
ninth  day,  however,  his  spirit  weakened,  and  he  ap- 
peared to  grow  reconciled  to  his  fate.  When  this 
species  of  subjugation  takes  place,  there  is  no  further 
trouble  with  a  bear  until  he  is  removed  to  a  new  cage; 
and  then  the  same  process,  though  usually  not  so 
severe,  has  to  be  gone  through  with. 

Such  was  the  manner  in  which  I  caught  the  huge 
Samson,  whose  weight  is  over  fifteen  hundred  pounds, 
and  whose  massive  proportions  have  for  years  been 
the  admiration  of  all  who  have  seen  him.  He  was 
then  in  his  prime,  and  has  grown  none  since;  the 
only  effect  of  confinement  and  good  living  has  been 
to  make  him  lazy  and  imperious,  like  a  pampered 
monarch,  and  to  change  his  shaggy,  coarse  hair  from 
gray  to  brown.  His  strength  was  so  immense  that  for 
a  long  time  I  was  compelled  to  keep  him  in  the  trap 
in  which  he  was  caught,  it  being  dangerous  to  remove 
him;  and  when,  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  my 
business  called  me  away  to  another  part  of  the  coun- 
try, I  engaged  four  wood-choppers,  who  were  at  work 
cutting  timber  for  a  mining  flume  in  the  neighborhood, 
to  feed  him;  and  it  was  not  until  more  than  a  month 
afterwards  that  I  felt  safe  in  caging  and  hauling  him 
away. 


296  SAMSON. 

Meanwhile  the  season  advanced  towards  the  middle 
of  the  winter;  and,  finding  game  becoming  scarce  in 
the  higher  regions  of  the  mountains,  we  moved  our 
camp  to  the  Merced  River  below  Yosemite,  taking 
with  us  all  our  camp-fixtures,  stock,  and  animals,  with 
the  exception  of  Samson,  who,  as  above  stated,  was 
too  large  and  savage  to  be  removed.  We  also  built 
traps  there,  and  managed,  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks, 
to  capture  several  grizzly  bears,  which  we  disposed  of 
at  good  rates.  One,  a  female  weighing  about  six  hun- 
dred pounds,  gave  us  trouble  of  a  peculiar  kind;  her 
capture  forming  a  unique  example  in  the  many  curious 
adventures  of  my  career.  She  had  entered  a  trap 
at  night,  but,  by  the  time  we  reached  it,  she  had 
gnawed  off  one  of  the  timbers,  and  had  her  head 
through  the  hole,  and,  indeed,  was  about  escaping. 
Seeing  the  position  of  affairs,  I  leaped  from  my  horse 
and  hastily  cut  a  stout  switch,  with  which  I  gave  her 
a  smart  rapping  over  the  nose  and  face  before  she 
would  draw  back.  The  timber  thus  gnawed  was  wil- 
low, which  we  had  foolishly  put  into  the  trap;  but 
now  we  replaced  it  with  oak,  though  it  took  us  a  long 
time,  with  much  prying,  lifting,  and  tugging,  to  get 
the  oak  in  the  right  place.  While  we  worked,  we 
also  had  to  fight  the  bear  continually,  as  she  seemed 
determined  to  come  out;   but  at  last  she  was  secured. 

Towards  spring,  I  had  occasion  to  go  to  Hornitos, 
and  desired  Tuolumne  to  accompany  me;  but  he 
replied  that  there  were  bad  people  at  Hornitos,  and 
he  would  rather  not  go.  Whom  he  spoke  of  he  did 
not  specify,  nor  could  I  get  from  him  his  reasons; 


SAMSON.  297 

but  finally  he  said  that  he  had  not  seen  his  own  peo- 
ple for  a  year,  and  wished  to  make  them  a  visit,  —  to 
which,  of  course,  I  readily  consented.  I  then  gave 
him  and  Stanislaus  a  horse,  complete  suits  of  buck- 
skin clothes,  and  about  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold 
coin,  with  which  they  set  out,  highly  delighted,  promis- 
ing to  return  in  a  month;  but  this  was  the  last  I  ever 
saw  of  these  two  excellent  boys,  for  in  a  few  weeks 
after  this  time  I  removed  from  the  region,  and  never 
returned,  except  for  a  few  days  at  a  time.  In  re- 
calling their  many  good  qualities  to  mind,  I  cannot 
but  remark  that,  in  comparing  ourselves  with  the  In- 
dians, we  are  all  too  apt  to  disregard  the  centuries  of 
slow  advancement  which  have  removed  us  from  the 
savage  state.  We  are  apt  to  look  upon  the  roaming 
tribes  as  an  inferior  race,  but  the  inference  is  unau- 
thorized and  unjust. 

Upon  my  return  from  Hornitos,  I  met  a  young 
man  named  Combe,  and,  he  being  a  robust  fellow  in 
want  of  employment,  I  hired  him  to  take  care  of  my 
camp,  while  I  made  arrangements  to  bring  down  my 
big  bear  Samson.  I  then  proceeded  to  Sonora,  where 
I  purchased  a  large  cage,  and  engaged  a  teamster  and 
a  yoke  of  oxen,  with  which,  in  addition  to  my  own, 
we  drove  up  the  mountains  to  where  Samson  was 
confined.  It  was  now  nearly  two  months  since  his 
capture,  but  we  found  that,  although  he  had  fallen 
away  somewhat  in  flesh  or  fat,  he  was  nearly  as 
savage  as  at  first;  and  it  required  several  days  of 
great  trouble  to  get  him  into  the  cage. 

The    manner   in    which    we    finally    succeeded    in 


298  SAMSON. 

removing  him  from  the  trap  to  the  cage,  was  nota- 
ble. Finding  it  impossible  to  drive  him  from  one  to 
the  other,  as  they  were  placed  side  by  side  with  the 
doors  open  between  them,  I  determined  to  pull  him 
with  oxen;  and,  taking  a  log  chain,  managed,  after 
great  difficulty,  to  get  a  loop  of  it  around  his  neck. 
I  then  passed  the  chain  through  the  door  of  the  trap 
and  through  the  cage,  and  hitched  a  yoke  of  oxen  to 
the  far  end.  While  the  oxen  pulled  in  front,  I  poked 
with  an  iron  rod  behind,  and  thus  he  advanced  inch 
by  inch,  until  he  got  to  the  doors  leading  from  one  to 
the  other,  when  he  suddenly  bounded  into  the  cage, 
and  commenced  tearing  around,  as  if  he  were  going 
to  demolish  it.  The  teamster,  during  this  time,  was 
on  the  top  of  the  cage,  and  I  called  to  him  to  drop 
the  door.  He  did  so,  and  thus  we  had  the  bear 
caged;  but  he  continued  to  act  so  violently  that  I 
had  to  remain  at  the  cage  the  whole  night,  and  use 
the  iron  rod  and  firebrands  to  quell  his  turbulent 
rage,  pretty  much  in  the  same  way  as  when  he  was 
first  captured. 

The  next  morning  we  took  off  the  wheels  on  one 
side  of  the  wagon,  and,  proceeding  much  the  same  as 
persons  who  load  saw-logs,  we  managed  to  boost  the 
cage  up,  and,  replacing  the  wheels  and  yoking  up, 
started  on  our  road.  The  load  was  so  heavy  and  the 
way  so  bad,  however,  that  our  progress  was  very 
slow;  and  it  took  three  days  to  reach  Howard's, 
where  I  determined  to  leave  Samson,  as  also  most 
of  my  pets,  during  the  coming  summer.  I  had  as 
yet  chalked  out  no  campaign  for  the  season,   but. 


SAMSON.  299 

having  heard  that  there  were  many  California  lions  in 
Corral  Hollow,  near  Livermore's  Pass,  in  the  Coast 
Range,  I  determined  to  go  there,  and,  accordingly, 
soon  broke  up  camp  on  the  Merced,  and  sending  all 
my  animals,  save  Lady  Washington,  Ben  Franklin 
and  Rambler,  to  Howard's,  we  drove  over  to  that 
place,  reaching  it  in  two  or  three  days'  travel. 

Corral  Hollow  is  a  narrow  valley,  nine  or  ten  miles 
long,  with  steep  mountains  on  both  sides.  A  stream 
of  water  runs  through  it  during  the  winter  and 
spring,  discharging  into  the  San  Joaquin  plains;  but 
in  the  summer  this  is  mostly  dry.  A  wagon  road 
from  San  Francisco  to  the  San  Joaquin  passed 
through  the  valley;  and,  at  the  time  of  which  I 
speak,  there  was  a  small  public-house  there,  kept  by 
two  men,  named  Wright  and  Carroll,  With  the  for- 
mer of  these  men,  I  soon  made  a  bargain  to  hunt  in 
the  neighborhood;  and  we  immediately  set  ourselves 
to  work  and  built  three  traps,  choosing  out  the  wild- 
est, roughest,  and  rockiest  canons  of  that  very  rough 
region  for  their  positions.  When  the  traps  were 
completed,  we  hunted  deer  with  success,  and  sold 
their  meat  with  profit  to  persons  who  passed  along 
the  road. 

It  so  happened  that  this  was  the  period  of  the  Kern 
River  excitement,  and  hundreds  of  people  were  pouring 
into  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  from  all  quarters,  on  their 
way  to  the  famous  Kern  River  mines.  Those  who 
came  from  San  Francisco  and  the  regions  thereabouts, 
travelled  generally  by  the  way  of  Livermore's  Pass 
and  the  Hollow,  and  we  thus  had  the  opportunities  of 


300  SAMSON. 

a  fair  market,  —  an  advantage  which  we  were  not 
slow  to  improve.  During  the  hunts  here,  Combe, 
who  evinced  little  hunting  spirit,  remained  in  camp; 
but,  as  I  had  engaged  him  principally  to  take  care  of 
and  feed  my  animals  in  my  absence,  I  did  not  find 
fault  with  his  want  of  enterprise  or  lack  of  courage. 
jMy  hunts  were  made  entirely  alone,  or  with  Wright, 
who  was  a  good  enough  hunter  of  deer,  but,  like  all 
other  men  who  have  had  little  experience,  he  was 
dreadfully  afraid  of  a  grizzly  bear. 


CORRAL   HOLLOW.  30] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CORRAL   HOLLOW. 

The  Devil's  Den.  A  Grizzly  Dam  and  Cubs.  Wright's  Flight.  At- 
tack upon  the  Bears.  Wright  on  Top  of  a  Rock.  My  second  Shot. 
Combat  with  the  second  Cub.  Passage  of  Words  with  Wright. 
Kern  River  Adventurers.  Their  Admiration.  Red  Woods  Hunters 
Their  Marksmanship.  My  Decision.  Return  to  the  Sierra  Nevada. 
Perilous  Adventure  with  a  Bear.  Assistance  of  Ben  and  Rambler. 
Our  Wounds.  Care  of  Ben.  My  Gratitude  to  him.  Return  to 
Corral  Hollow.  A  scoundrel  Visitor.  His  scurvy  Trick.  Pursuit 
of  him.  The  Oil  of  Panthers.  Visit  of  Scarf .  Our  Meal  on  Panther- 
meat.  My  sudden  Sickness.  My  Medicine.  A  Night  of  Agony. 
Scarf's  Sickness.  Poison.  The  Wretch's  Boasts.  Speculations 
about  the  Poisoning.     Cautions. 

One  day  Wright  and  I  were  hunting  in  what  is 
called  the  Devil's  Den,  a  dreadfully  rough  and  deep 
canon,  full  of  brush  and  rocks  so  heaped  and  piled 
together  that  a  person  has  almost  to  crawl  wherever 
he  passes  through  it.  I  had  discovered  a  bed  of  coal 
there,  and  also  sulphur  springs,  and  I  was  pointing 
them  out  to  Wright,  when  suddenly  we  were  startled 
by  the  snort  of  a  grizzly  dam  which  had  two  yearling 
cubs.  When  we  first  became  aware  of  her  presence, 
she  was  standing  just  before  us  on  her  hind  legs,  and 
evidently  offering  battle.  I  saw  at  a  glance  that 
Wright  was  not  the  man  for  such  a  situation,  for  he 
trembled  like  a  leaf,  and  then,  turning  his  back,  cried 
out  to  run;  and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  on  his 


302  CORRAL   HOLLOW. 

own  behalf,  he  soon  left  me  alone.  I  knew  very  well 
there  was  no  use  of  running,  under  the  circumstances; 
nor  indeed  did  I  feel  any  disposition  to  do  so,  for  it 
was  seldom  that  I  ever  let  a  bear  escape  me;  and  it 
was  pretty  evident,  on  this  occasion  in  particular,  that 
if  I  did  not  kill  her,  she  would  kill  me.  As  there 
was  nothing  to  be  hoped  for  from  Wright,  I  paid  no 
attention  to  where  he  went;  but,  giving  my  whole  at- 
tention to  the  bear,  I  watched  my  opportunity  as  she 
came  snorting  towards  me,  and  planted  a  ball  fairly 
in  her  heart.  As  she  received  it,  she  fell  over  back- 
wards, and  never  rose  afterwards. 

No  sooner  had  I  thus  fired  than  I  began  reloading, 
and,  without  looking  up,  cried  out  to  Wright  why 
he  did  not  fire  at  the  cubs.  His  voice  quivered  as 
he  answered,  that  they  kept  bobbing  around  so  that  he 
could  not  procure  aim.  I  turned  to  see  where  the 
man  was,  and  there  he  sat  on  top  of  a  high  rock, 
vainly  trying  to  hold  his  rifle  steady,  while  the  cubs 
were  bawling  and  yelping  about  their  dying  mother. 
"When  you  do  get  aim,  shoot,"  said  I;  and  at  the 
same  time,  running  up  to  a  clump  of  bushes  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  cubs,  I  stretched  out  one  by  a  ball 
at  the  butt  of  the  ear;  when  directly,  crack!  went 
Wright's  rifle;  but  his  ball  could  hardly  have  come 
within  twenty  yards  of  the  cub.  Wright  always  pre- 
tended that  he  did  really  shoot  at  it,  but  I  questioned 
it  then,  and  I  doubt  it  now;  he  was  too  much  scared 
to  shoot  at  anything. 

I  immediately  proceeded  to  reload  a  second  time, 
but  the  remaining  cub  discovered  and  charged  at  me 


CORRAL   HOLLOW.  303 

too  soon.  Seeing  that  I  could  not  get  my  rifle  loaded 
in  time,  I  dropped  it  and  drew  my  knife.  There  was 
no  great  danger,  except  of  being  scratched,  so  I  met 
the  cub  half  way;  and  as  he  reared  to  strike,  I  caught 
him  with  my  left  hand  by  the  long  hair  on  the  under- 
jaw,  and  plunged  my  knife  into  his  abdomen,  burying 
it  to  the  hilt;  then  ripping  it  out,  I  thrust  it  in  behind 
the  fore  shoulder,  and  reached  his  heart.  He  had 
given  me  a  severe  blow  upon  the  thigh,  but  only  one; 
and  as  the  life  poured  from  his  side,  I  let  him  drop 
and  die  at  my  feet. 

Having  thus  killed  the  three  bears,  I  turned  to  see 
what  Wright  was  doing  by  this  time;  and  there  he 
still  sat  on  the  rock,  just  as  he  had  been  sitting  before. 
He  had  not  even  reloaded,  nor  made  any  attempt  to 
do  so.  As  I  turned  towards  him,  he  cried,  "Are 
they  dead,  Adams?"  "No,"  said  I;  "you  had  bet- 
ter stay  there  till  they  stop  kicking."  "Well,"  con- 
tinued he,  "I  thought  they  would  kill  you,  surely; 
and  I  saved  my  life  while  I  could."  "That's  a  com- 
fortable doctrine,"  said  I;  "but  your  bones  too  would 
have  whitened  this  valley,  if  they  had  killed  me. 
You  are  a  good  climber,  I  see,  but  when  you  talk  of 
running  up  rocks,  look  at  these  claws."  Thus  I 
talked  while  cutting  the  throats  of  the  bears. 

We  let  the  bodies  lie  where  we  had  killed  them, 
and  returned  to  camp,  where  we  found  a  party  of 
Kern  River  adventurers.  When  we  told  them  the 
story  of  the  three  bears,  a  half  dozen  volunteered  to 
go  along  and  help  pack  the  bodies  in.  They  would 
hardly   believe  our  report,  and  wanted  to  see  with 


304  CORRAL    HOLLOW. 

their  own  eyes;  but  when  shown  the  truth  of  the 
story,  by  the  wounds  on  the  bodies,  such  as  we  had 
described,  their  incredulity  gave  place  to  wonder,  and, 
if  I  mistake  not,  to  some  admiration  of  my  powers. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  days  after  this  adventure, 
three  hunters  from  the  Red  Woods  came  to  my  camp, 
and,  stating  that  they  had  heard  of  my  hunting,  asked 
the  privilege  of  accompanying  me  for  a  few  days. 
I  acquiesced,  and  we  took  a  hunt,  in  the  course  of 
which  we  came  on  a  she  bear  with  a  yearling  cub. 
I  soon  stretched  the  dam  upon  the  ground,  and  di- 
rected the  Red  Woods  men  to  kill  the  cub.  At  the 
word,  all  three  discharged  their  rifles,  and  the  cub 
fell;  but,  when  I  came  to  examine  him,  I  found  but 
one  wound.  Upon  calling  attention  to  this  curious 
circumstance,  a  contention  sprang  up  as  to  who  it  was 
that  fired  that  ball.  Each  one  gave  so  many  reasons 
why  he  could  not  have  missed,  that  I  amused  myself 
for  a  long  time  laughing  at  them.  They  at  last  ap- 
pealed to  me  to  settle  the  controversy;  and  I  decided 
that  they  had  all  shot  into  the  same  hole,  —  which 
was  very  satisfactory  to  all  parties. 

About  this  same  time,  Lady  Washington  presented 
me  with  a  valuable  addition  to  my  collection  of  animals, 
which  gave  unmistakable  evidences,  in  the  form  of 
the  body  and  in  the  color  of  the  hair,  of  having  the 
blood  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  bear  in  its  composition; 
and  I  rejoiced  that  I  had  exercised  so  much  forbear- 
ance towards  the  Lady's  lover,  the  previous  summer 
east  of  Salt  Lake.  The  little  fellow  thrived  well, 
and  grew  up  to  be  the  one  known  as  Fremont,  —  a 


CORRAL    HOLLOW.  305 

bear  of  considerable  intelligence  and  sagacity,  though 
not  equal,  in  these  respects,  either  to  his  dam  or  to 
Ben  Franklin. 

I  had  occasion,  during  my  stay  at  Corral  Hollow, 
to  return  for  a  few  days  to  my  old  camp  in  the 
Sierra;  and  hitching  up  my  wagon,  and  taking  my 
bear  Ben  Franklin  and  my  dog  Rambler  along,  in  a 
few  days  reached  that  favorite  old  spot.  I  antici- 
pated that  it  would  be  my  last  visit  to  the  place,  and 
determined  to  have  one  more  hunt  before  leaving  it, 
perhaps,  forever.  Accordingly,  calling  my  bear  and 
dog,  I  started  out,  and  made  the  old  mountains  ring 
again  with  the  sound  of  my  rifle,  until,  fatigued  with 
roving,  I  turned  back  towards  camp 

As  I  was  leisurely  passing  through  a  thicket  of 
chaparral,  I  heard  a  stick  crack  at  my  side,  and, 
upon  turning,  beheld  a  huge  grizzly,  which  had  three 
young  cubs,  in  the  act  of  springing  at  me.  I  tried 
to  raise  my  rifle,  but  in  an  instant  it  was  struck  from 
my  hand  by  the  bear,  and,  with  the  same  blow,  I  was 
thrown  to  the  ground.  Ben  and  Rambler  were  but  a 
few  paces  behind  at  this  time,  and  rushed  forward. 
Rambler  seizing  the  enemy's  thigh,  and  Ben  attacking 
her  at  the  throat.  This  distracted  her  attention  for 
a  moment,  at  which  I  seized  the  opportunity  to  snatch 
my  rifle  and  spring  to  one  side,  while  the  savage  bit 
terribly  into  the  head  and  neck  of  poor  Ben.  I 
uttered  a  terrific  shout,  and  the  old  bear  rose  for  an 
instant,  when  I  fired  a  ball  into  her  heart,  and  she 
fell  over  backwards.  I  then  jumped  upon  her,  and 
bathed  my  knife  several  times  in  her  heart's  blood. 


306  CORRAL    HOLLOW. 

All  this  was  the  work  of  a  moment;  but  when  I 
looked  for  Ben,  he  was  bounding  off  for  camp,  with 
the  blood  streaming  from  his  head,  and  yelling  at 
every  leap.  I  endeavored  to  call  him  back;  but  the 
little  fellow  was  scared  nearly  to  death,  and  soon  dis- 
appeared. As  for  myself,  I  did  not  know  at  first 
that  I  was  hurt;  but,  in  a  little  while,  the  blood  com- 
menced dripping  over  my  clothes,  and  I  found  that 
my  scalp  had  been  dreadfully  torn  by  the  brute;  and 
she  had  bitten  through  my  buckskin  coat  and  flannel, 
making  wounds,  the  scars  of  which  still  remain,  in  my 
neck. 

With  considerable  difficulty,  I  managed  to  reach 
camp,  where  I  found  Ben  lying  under  the  wagon, 
licking  his  bleeding  sides.  The  poor  fellow  had  cer- 
tainly saved  my  life,  and  I  felt  so  grateful  that  at 
once  I  took  him  into  the  cabin  and  dressed  his 
wounds  before  I  dressed  my  own;  and  I  continued 
paying  unremitting  care  to  him  for  nearly  a  week, 
when,  finding  him  well  enough  to  travel,  I  settled  up 
my  business  in  the  region  and  departed.  That  was 
one  of  the  narrowest  escapes  I  ever  had  in  all  my 
hunting;  and,  as  my  preservation  was  due  to  Ben, 
the  circumstance  explains,  to  some  extent,  the  par- 
tiality I  have  felt  towards  that  noble  animal.  He  has 
borne  the  scars  of  the  combat  upon  his  front  ever 
since;  and  I  take  pride  in  pointing  them  out  to 
persons  who,  I  think,  can  appreciate  my  feelings  tow- 
ards him. 

Upon  my  return  to  Corral  Hollow,  I  learned  that  a 
large  panther  or  cougar,  such  as  is  usually  known  as 


CORRAL    HOLLOW.  307 

the  California  lion,  had  been  prowling  about  one  of  the 
traps,  and,  on  the  next  day,  I  went  to  the  place,  and 
set  the  snare  with  particular  nicety,  confidently  ex- 
pecting a  prize  in  the  morning.  That  same  evening, 
as  I  was  sitting  at  my  camp  fire,  a  shaggy-looking 
scoundrel,  who  carried  a  shot-gun,  pistol,  and  bowie- 
knife,  came  up  and  asked  the  privilege  of  stopping 
overnight.  He  had  a  bad  countenance;  but  never 
in  my  life  did  I  turn  a  weary  or  a  hungry  traveller 
away  from  my  fire,  or  refuse  the  offices  of  hospitality; 
nor  did  I  now.  On  the  contrary,  I  freely  offered  him 
a  portion  of  my  supper,  a  place  to  sleep  at  my  fire, 
and  a  hearty,  wholesome  breakfast  in  the  morning. 
I  not  only  fed  him,  but  I  talked  with  him,  and  in  an- 
swer to  his  questions  spoke  without  reserve  of  my 
business  in  the  Hollow,  and  the  hopes  I  entertained 
of  entrapping  the  lion.  After  breakfast,  the  scamp 
went  away  without  thanking  me;  and  in  an  hour  or 
two  afterwards,  when  I  went  up  to  my  trap,  I  found 
that  he  had  been  there  before  me,  and  had  shot, 
dragged  out,  and  cut  of?  and  carried  away  the  tail 
of,  the  panther,  which,  as  I  expected,  had  been 
trapped  overnight.  I  knew  that  it  could  have  been 
no  other  person  than  this  fellow,  who  had  played  such 
a  scurvy  trick,  and,  being  mounted  and  very  angry, 
I  took  the  road  to  Livermore's  Pass,  in  the  hopes  of 
overtaking  and  punishing  him.  I  rode  nearly  all 
day,  but,  not  being  able  to  find  where  he  had  gone, 
came  back,  packed  the  dead  lion  on  my  mule,  and 
returned  to  camp. 

The  oil  of  panthers  is  good  for  sprains  and  bruises; 


308  CORRAL   HOLLOW. 

and  with  the  intention  of  frying  out  some  for  future 
use,  I  sat  down  at  the  root  of  a  tree,  and  began  cut- 
ting the  body  up.  While  so  engaged,  a  man  named 
Scarf,  the  keeper  of  a  sheep  ranch  five  or  six  miles 
below,  happened  to  pass,  and  remarking  that  the 
meat  looked  very  nice,  proposed  making  a  meal  of 
it.  I  asked  whether  he  had  ever  eaten  any  of  the 
kind.  He  replied  that  he  had  not,  but,  from  the  ap- 
pearance, he  knew  it  must  be  good.  I  remarked, 
that  I  had  frequently  eaten  panther's  meat,  and  knew 
that,  though  not  the  best  of  meat,  it  was  certainly 
not  the  worst;  and  forthwith  we  proceeded  to  roast 
portions  of  the  tender-loin  and  liver,  of  which  we  ate 
heartily  and  with  very  good  relish.  After  the  meal, 
Scarf  smacked  his  lips,  and  proceeded  on  his  way. 
It  was  now  nearly  evening,  and  having  one  of  my 
traps  to  look  after,  about  a  mile  distant,  I  ran  up 
towards  it,  but,  getting  into  a  perspiration,  began  to 
feel  disagreeable  and  very  queer;  —  and  God  knows 
I  had  cause.  So  ill  did  I  soon  become  that  I  had 
difficulty  in  getting  back;  my  head  was  dizzy,  my 
eyes  nearly  blind,  and  all  my  members  staggering,  so 
that  I  supposed  death  was  approaching. 

It  happened  that  Combe  was  absent  at  this  time, 
but  I  managed,  without  assistance,  to  get  at  my  stores, 
and,  taking  out  a  bunch  of  wild  tobacco,  made  and 
drank  a  decoction,  which  caused  me  to  vomit  vio- 
lently; and  afterwards,  I  rolled  myself  in  my  blank- 
ets and  tried  to  sleep;  but  my  head  felt  Uke  bursting 
with  pain,  and  during  the  entire  night  I  lay  in  agony. 
I  thought  that  morning  would  never  come,  so  pain- 


CORRAL    HOLLOW.  309 

fully  did  the  time  pass,  —  but  it  came  at  last;  yet  I 
was  unable  to  rise,  and  continued  lying,  more  dead 
than  alive,  until  the  sun  rose,  when  I  was  suddenly 
aroused  by  the  voice  of  one  of  Scarf's  men,  who  had 
hurriedly  come  up  to  ask  whether  I  was  sick  too.  I 
replied  that  death  had  a  firm  grasp  upon  me.  "You 
are  poisoned,"  said  he.  "Poisoned?"  said  I;  "that 
cannot  be;  for  there  is  no  poison  about  camp."  "It 
was  the  wretch,"  said  the  man,  "who  killed  the  pan- 
ther. He  passed  our  ranch  day  before  yesterday, 
and  had  a  bottle  of  poison,  which  he  showed  me. 
Scarf  is  poisoned  too,  and  is  suffering  in  the  same 
manner  as  yourself."  The  man  and  I  then  compared 
notes,  and  we  soon  concluded  that  his  master  and  I 
had  been  poisoned  with  some  deadly  drug  contained 
in  the  panther's  meat,  which  we  had  so  unsuspect- 
ingly eaten.  A  few  days  afterwards,  I  learned  from 
one  of  the  Livermore  family  that  a  fellow,  answering 
the  description  of  the  wretch  who  had  fed  at  my 
board,  had  visited  the  Pass,  and  exhibited  a  tail  in 
corroboration  of  a  wonderful  story  which  he  told  of 
a  fight  with  a  panther  in  the  mountains. 

It  has  always  been  a  source  of  speculation  with  me 
in  what  manner  the  poison  was  introduced  into  the 
panther,  —  whether  before  or  after  its  death;  but  the 
most  plausible  theory  I  can  form  is,  that  the  wretch 
tried  the  effect  of  the  deadly  drug  upon  the  encaged 
beast  first,  and  shot  it  afterwards,  —  though  he  may 
have  poured  a  few  crystals  into  the  bullet-hole,  after 
shooting  it.  However  this  may  have  been,  one  lesson 
I  learned  from  the  great  jeopardy  in  which  this  ex- 


310  CORRAL    HOLLOW. 

periment  placed  me;  and  this  was,  to  beware  of  game 
not  killed  by  myself  or  my  friends  in  a  country  where 
phosphorus,  arsenic  and  strychnine  are  used  for  so 
many  purposes  as  they  are  in  California.  Indeed, 
where  such  deadly  poisons  are  daily  employed  for  the 
destruction  of  squirrels,  panthers,  bears  and  other 
animals,  too  much  care  cannot  be  exercised  in  avoid- 
ing flesh  affected  with  them  either  directly  or  sec- 
ondarily. 


ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE.  311 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE. 

The  Kern  River  Excitement.  Determination  to  take  a  Summer's  Hunt 
southward.  Preparations.  Engagement  of  Drury.  Stop  at  Roro 
Mocho.  Drury's  Drunkenness.  My  Check  of  the  Abuse.  My 
Rebuke  to  Drury.  Our  Progress.  Drury's  Condition.  Race  be- 
tween Ben,  Rambler,  and  an  Antelope.  Rambler's  Reproach  to 
Ben.  Cattle  and  a  sporting  Grizzly.  The  Bear's  Sagacity.  Com- 
bat between  the  Bear  and  a  Heifer.  His  Victim.  The  Bear's  Meal. 
Departure  to  the  Mountains.  Proposition  of  the  Raneheros.  My 
Reply.  Pacheco's  Pass.  Suspicions  of  the  Raneheros.  Their  Satis- 
faction. Entry  of  the  Mountains.  A  Coast  Range  Hill.  Accident 
on  the  Descent.  The  "Comforts"  of  Hunting.  Recovery  from  the 
Disaster.  Lady  Washington's  Good-humor.  Repairing  Damages. 
A  Night-drive.  A  dried-up  Creek.  Search  for  Water.  A  Pool. 
Satisfying  our  Thirst.     Sleep. 

The  Kern  River  excitement  was  one  of  those  peri- 
odical visitations  of  a  mild  species  of  insanity,  with 
which  the  people  of  California  seem  to  have  been 
afflicted  from  time  to  time,  ever  since  the  early  days. 
It  originated  out  of  vague  reports  of  gold  in  the 
gulches  of  the  Kern  River  country,  and  in  the  course 
of  a  few  months  all  the  avenues  leading  to  the  region 
were  crowded  with  adventurers.  Miners  passed  daily 
on  their  way  thither,  during  the  period  I  was  in  Cor- 
ral Hollow;  but  it  was  not  long  before  they  began 
returning,  disappointed  in  their  anticipations  of  sud- 
den wealth,  and  deeply  cursing  the  infatuation,  which 
had  induced  them  to  go  so  far  with  so  little  profit. 

It  had  been  my  object  before  this  period  to  hunt  in 


312  ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE. 

the  southern  country,  and  as  the  Kern  River  emigra- 
tion afforded  an  excellent  chance  of  trading,  I  seized 
the  opportunity  for  a  summer's  hunt  in  that  direction, 
intending  not  only  to  visit  the  mines  and  sell  game 
to  the  miners,  but  to  collect  animals  and  see  the 
country.  I  accordingly  provided  myself  with  two 
good  horses  in  addition  to  my  mules,  and  loaded  my 
wagon  with  stores  of  flour,  coffee,  sugar,  tea,  tobacco; 
and  among  other  things  a  keg  of  whiskey,  which  proved 
a  curse.  I  took  also  a  quantity  of  mining  tools,  picks, 
shovels,  crow-bars,  boards  for  rockers,  buckets,  pans, 
and  other  mining  implements.  It  had  been  my  inten- 
tion also  to  take  my  young  man  Combe  along,  but, 
finding  him  not  much  disposed  towards  the  romantic 
trip,  I  engaged  another  young  fellow  named  Drury, 
a  smart  enough  boy,  but  very  lazy,  and  shamefully 
fond  of  strong  drink,  as  I  soon  learned  to  my  cost. 
My  bear  Lady  Washington  I  chained  as  usual  to  the 
axle-tree,  but  the  bear  Ben  Frankhn  and  his  foster- 
brother  the  dog  Rambler  followed  loose. 

We  left  Corral  Hollow  early  in  the  morning,  and 
travelled  southward  along  the  eastern  base  of  the 
Coast  Range  of  mountains  till  evening,  when  we 
camped  on  a  small  stream,  called  Roro  Mocho.  Upon 
unhitching,  I  directed  Drury  to  prepare  supper,  and 
busied  myself  with  picketing  the  horses  and  feeding 
the  animals,  which  engaged  my  attention  for  an  hour 
or  more;  but  what  was  my  disgust  upon  returning  to 
the  fire  to  find  that  Drury  had  broached  the  keg  of 
liquor,  and  was  so  much  intoxicated  as  to  be  insen- 
sible.    The  beastly  condition  of  the  fellow  gave  me 


ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE.  313 

unpleasant  feelings,  and  boded  bad  for  the  future. 
I  was  perfectly  willing  that  he  should  drink  in  moder- 
ation, but  this  was  such  an  open  and  outrageous  abuse 
at  the  outset  of  our  journey  that  I  determined  to 
check  his  propensities  in  the  bud;  and,  accordingly, 
tifting  the  keg  from  the  wagon  and  seizing  an  axe,  I 
knocked  in  the  head,  and  poured  the  liquor  out  upon 
the  ground.  Without  saying  a  word  to  Drury,  I  then 
prepared  and  ate  my  supper,  and,  wrapping  myself  in 
my  blankets,  went  to  sleep,  leaving  him  to  recover  as 
he  best  could  from  the  situation  to  which  he  had  re- 
duced himself. 

About  midnight  I  was  aroused  by  the  fellow's  call- 
ing upon  me  to  give  him  water;  but  I  refused  to  get 
up  and  wait  on  him,  and  said  that  if  he  would  make 
a  beast  of  himself,  he  must  take  the  consequences;  if 
he  wanted  water,  he  had  better  crawl  down  to  the 
creek,  and  throw  himself  into  it  until  he  soaked  the 
liquor  out,  and  then  I  would  help  him.  He  grumbled 
at  this,  and  rolled  about  complaining  of  my  hard  treat- 
ment for  about  an  hour,  when,  finally,  I  got  up,  gave 
him  his  blankets  and  fetched  him  water,  of  which  he 
drank  a  large  quantity,  and  soon  fell  into  a  sleep.  In 
the  morning  I  rose  early,  fed  the  animals,  got  my 
breakfast,  and,  being  ready  to  start,  called  the  fellow; 
but  he  still  complained  of  being  very  sick.  I  retorted 
that  he  had  made  a  hog  of  himself,  and,  therefore,  I 
could  feel  no  sympathy;  and  if  he  was  too  sick  to 
come  along,  he  might  remain  behind  At  the  same 
time  I  cautioned  him  that,  if  he  repeated  this  con- 
duct, I  would  be  under  the  necessity  of  discharging 


314  ALOXG  THE  COAST  RANGE. 

him  at  once  from  my  service;  and  it  would  make  no 
difference  where  we  might  be;  no  confidence  could 
be  reposed  in  a  man  who  would  get  drunk. 

In  a  few  minutes  afterwards  I  started  on,  as  I  had 
said  I  would,  and  Drury  followed  with  the  dog  and 
bears.  We  continued  thus  a  mile  or  two,  when  notic- 
ing that  he  had  difficulty  in  keeping  up,  and  that  he 
grew  very  pale,  I  took  him  in  the  wagon,  and  driv- 
ing to  the  next  ravine,  stopped  and  put  him  to  bed. 
Leaving  him  sleeping,  I  went  out  with  the  Lady,  Ben 
and  Rambler,  on  a  short  hunt,  and  killed  three  ante- 
lopes, which  afforded  provisions  for  several  days.  I 
afterwards  made  supper  and  gave  Drury  a  cup  of 
strong  coffee,  which  had  a  good  effect;  and  the  next 
morning  he  felt  comparatively  well,  and  we  started 
on  our  road  very  early. 

As  we  were  travelling  along  about  mid-day,  Rambler 
started  up  an  antelope,  which  seemed  to  be  alone. 
There  were  no  trees  near  us,  nothing  but  the  grassy 
plain  stretching  from  the  mountains  to  the  San  Joa- 
quin, a  distance  of  fifteen  or  twenty  miles.  The  an- 
telope, on  being  started,  ran  towards  the  faint  line  of 
cotton-woods,  which  skirted  the  river;  and  Rambler 
and  Ben  pursued  as  fast  as  their  legs  would  carry 
them.  It  was  the  most  interesting  race  I  ever  saw, 
for  while  the  antelope  ran  for  life,  the  hound  kept 
close  at  its  heels.  As  for  poor  Ben,  he  tried  with  all 
his  might  to  keep  up,  but  the  further  he  went  the 
more  he  fell  behind;  and,  in  the  course  of  a  few  min- 
utes, he  was  loping  over  the  ground  perfectly  alone. 
He  kept  at  it  vigorously,  however,  until  in  about  a 


ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE.  315 

mile,  finding  that  his  wind  was  giving  out,  he  stopped, 
and  came  back  with  a  look  in  his  countenance,  which 
showed  that  he  did  not  wish  to  be  considered  as  hav- 
ing been  in  the  race.  In  the  meanwhile  the  antelope 
and  greyhound  kept  on,  as  I  could  see  with  a  spy- 
glass which  I  had  with  me.  For  about  eight  miles 
the  hound  kept  within  a  few  leaps  of  the  antelope, 
when  they  reached  the  brush  near  the  river.  The 
hound  then  turned  to  see  whether  I  was  following; 
but,  finding  I  was  not,  he  gave  up  the  chase  and 
turned  to  rejoin  me.  I  drove  on,  and  in  about  an 
hour  afterwards  he  came  up,  seeming  to  be  very  tired. 
He,  however,  ran  directly  to  Ben,  and  whined  and 
jumped  about  him;  and  it  really  appeared  to  me 
that  he  was  trying  to  tell  the  bear  what  a  fine  race 
he  had  had,  and  reproaching  him  for  his  want  of  bot- 
tom to  run.  Ben  used  often  to  run  in  this  manner, 
but  of  course  could  not  keep  up  with  the  greyhound. 
As  for  the  antelope,  I  believe  that  on  a  stretch  like 
that,  he  is  the  fleetest  animal  in  the  world. 

That  evening  we  camped  in  a  ravine  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountains,  in  the  neighborhood  of  large  herds  of 
cattle,  which  were  grazing  in  the  plains.  The  herds- 
men, or  vaqueros,  when  they  saw  us,  came  up  and 
talked  awhile,  and  then  proceeded  further  up  the 
ravine  to  their  ranch,  leaving  the  cattle  to  themselves. 
About  sundown  I  heard  a  tremendous  commotion 
among  the  cattle,  and,  going  out  to  see  what  caused 
it,  beheld  a  huge  grizzly  bear  rolling  and  tumbling  in 
the  grass,  while  the  cattle  were  gathering  around  him, 
and  bawling  as  if  crazy.     I  immediately  took  my  rifle 


316  ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE. 

and  went  around  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  disturb 
either  cattle  or  bear,  —  my  object  being  to  get  up  near 
and  witness  the  motions  of  the  bear,  which,  I  correctly 
supposed,  was  playing  one  of  the  most  wonderful  tricks 
known  to  his  species.  I  had  frequently  heard  of  the 
sagacity  of  the  grizzly  in  decoying  cattle  within  his 
reach,  and  had  a  great  curiosity  to  see  it  for  myself. 
I  accordingly  ascended  a  small  hill  near  the  spot, 
and  reached  a  place  from  which  I  could  easily  witness 
the  whole  affair.  The  bear  was  in  the  long  grass, 
rolling  on  his  back,  throwing  his  legs  into  the  air, 
jumping  up,  turning  half  somersets,  chasing  his  tail 
and  cutting  up  all  kinds  of  antics,  evidently  with  no 
other  purpose  than  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  cat- 
tle. These  foolish  animals  crowded  around  him ;  some 
bulls  running  up  as  if  to  make  a  lunge,  and  then  turn- 
ing aside,  and  all  bawling  violently.  At  last  a  young 
heifer,  more  bold  than  the  rest,  lowered  her  head  and 
ran  up,  to  thrust  her  horns  into  him.  In  an  instant 
the  bear  rose  upon  his  hind  legs,  and,  making  a  leap, 
caught  the  heifer  around  the  neck,  and  fixed  his  jaws 
in  her  nose.  She  made  a  jump  to  get  away;  but  the 
bear,  with  a  peculiar  jerk  of  his  head,  threw  her  upon 
her  side,  and,  without  loosening  his  hold,  turned  his 
entire  body  upon  her.  He  then  let  go  his  hold  upon 
the  nose  and  seizing  her  by  the  neck,  tore  it  open; 
the  blood  gushed  in  torrents  from  the  severed  arte- 
ries; and  in  a  few  moments  she  was  dead.  No  soon- 
er had  she  stopped  struggling  than  he  got  off,  and 
leisurely  began  sucking  up  the  blood,  and  enjoying 
the  supper  which  his  trick  had  procured  for  him. 


ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE.  317 

The  other  cattle  drew  back  at  first,  but  in  a  short 
time  they  seemed  to  gather  courage,  and  again  ap- 
proached. As  they  came  close,  the  bear  left  his  vic- 
tim and  rushed  at  them  with  a  terrific  growl.  This 
frightened  them  off  for  a  while;  and  then  the  bear 
would  resume  his  meal.  He  drove  them  off  thus  a 
dozen  times;  and  I  relished  the  scene  so  well  that, 
without  interfering,  I  lay  looking  at  it  until  it  became 
quite  dark,  —  thus  neglecting  the  opportunity  to  have 
a  fair  shot  at  him.  As  he  was  about  turning  to  leave, 
however,  I  crawled  down  and  fired  at  him;  but  it  was 
then  so  dark,  and  the  distance  so  great,  that  I  missed. 
At  the  crack  of  the  rifle  he  rose  upon  his  legs,  ut- 
tered two  or  three  savage  growls,  and  then  put  off 
for  the  mountains. 

In  the  morning  I  sent  Drury  to  the  ranch  to  give 
information  of  what  I  had  seen;  and  in  a  short  time 
he  came  back  with  the  vaqueros  and  two  of  the  ranch 
owners.  I  told  them  the  story,  and  they  seemed 
much  interested.  They  said  they  were  much  troubled 
with  bears,  and  offered  to  give  me  one  hundred  dollars 
a  month  and  all  the  beef  I  wanted,  if  I  would  remain 
and  hunt  there  a  few  months.  I  laughed  at  the  prop- 
osition, and  replied  that  a  gold-hunter  on  his  way  to 
Kern  River  could  not  be  purchased  on  terms  like 
those.  They  laughed  in  turn  about  Kern  River; 
and,  after  talking  in  good-humor  some  time,  I  took  a 
portion  of  the  dead  heifer  with  their  consent,  and, 
bidding  them  good-bye,  proceeded  on  my  journey. 

We  proceeded  this  day  to  the  neighborhood  of  Pa- 
checo's   Pass,   which  opens  a  passage  in   the   Coast 


318  ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE. 

Mountains  from  the  San  Joaquin  to  the  ocean  near 
Monterey,  and  camped.  The  next  morning  I  drove 
up  to  a  ranch  at  Pacheco's  Pass,  where  there  were 
about  a  hundred  persons,  some  of  them  rancheros 
and  some  returning  Kern  River  miners.  They  all 
wondered,  seeing  me  drive  up  with  the  bears,  and 
wanted  to  know  where  I  hailed  from,  and  where  I  was 
going.  I  answered  their  questions  frankly,  when  they 
repHed  that  I  was  out  of  the  road  which  led  to  Kern 
River.  I  rejoined  that  I  knew  it  well,  but  that  there 
were  certain  valleys  in  the  mountains  which  I  wished 
to  visit,  and  that  was  the  reason  I  came  that  way. 
They  kept  eyeing  me,  and  looking  suspiciously  at  the 
beef,  horses,  and  mules,  as  much  as  to  say  they  sus- 
pected me  to  be  a  rascal  and  thief,  though  they 
threw  out  no  insinuations  in  words.  I  stood  their 
treatment  as  long  as  I  thought  proper,  and  then  spoke 
as  follows:  "Gentlemen,  you  look  at  my  beef  as  if 
you  were  hungry.  If  you  desire,  you  can  share  with 
me,  and  you  will  find  that  it  is  neither  stolen  nor  poi- 
soned." At  the  same  time,  I  looked  full  in  the  faces 
of  the  rancheros,  who,  when  they  see  a  stranger  have 
beef,  suspect  at  once  that  he  has  been  killing  their 
cattle,  and  generally  with  very  good  reason;  and  as  I 
saw  they  understood  my  meaning,  I  narrated. the  story 
of  the  grizzly  bear,  and  how  I  came  by  the  beef. 
This  seemed  to  please  them  all,  and  they  invited  me 
into  the  house  to  take  breakfast;  but  I  thanked  them, 
and  replied  that  I  never  breakfasted  so  late  in  the 
day.  I  however  went  into  the  house  with  them,  and, 
getting  into  conversation,  gathered  all  the  information 


ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE.  319 

I  could  about  the  country  in  the  mountains,  and  a  cer- 
tain valley  of  which  I  had  heard,  abounding  in  game. 
They  told  me  that  the  valley  was  distant  about  three 
days'  journey  over  a  rugged  road,  and  that  it  was 
very  uncertain  whether  a  wagon  could  get  along,  as 
none  was  ever  known  to  have  passed  through. 

Notwithstanding  this  unfavorable  intelligence,  we 
started  into  the  mountains,  and  travelled  during  the 
day  a  considerable  distance,  passing  three  or  four 
ranches,  and  seeing  a  few  wild  mustang  horses,  —  for 
we  were  getting  into  a  region  where  there  were  many 
of  these  animals.  The  subsequent  day  we  travelled 
till  noon,  when  we  came  to  a  great  hill,  of  which  I  had 
heard  much  at  Pacheco's,  and,  ascending  it  with  diffi- 
culty, found  that  there  was  a  sort  of  jumping-off  place 
on  the  other  side,  as  had  been  told  us.  Taking  out 
my  glass  here,  I  examined  the  road  further  on,  and 
saw,  nearly  a  thousand  feet  below  me,  a  large,  grassy, 
and  comparatively  level  plain,  covered  here  and  there 
with  antelopes  and  mustangs,  and  in  the  distance  a 
line  of  cotton-wood  trees,  indicating  a  stream.  The 
difficulty  was  to  descend  the  side  of  the  hill,  which 
was  almost  a  precipice,  with  scrubby  oak-trees  about 
the  top,  and  rocks  towards  the  bottom.  It  seemed  to 
be  almost  a  hopeless  job  to  get  down;  but  we  com- 
menced the  labor  by  taking  down  the  horses  by  them- 
selves first.  I  intended  to  lead  the  Lady  down  also, 
but,  finding  it  so  tiresome  to  ascend,  lengthened  her 
chain,  and  left  her  tied,  and  then,  fastening  several 
strong  lariats  to  the  axle,  had  Drury  take  hitches  with 
them  around  trees,  and  aid  in  that  way  in  letting  the 


320  ALONG   THE    COAST    RANGE. 

wagon  down  as  lightly  as  possible.  Besides  this,  we 
locked  two  wheels,  and  then  attempted  to  go  down 
with  the  mules,  wagon,  and  all  together.  We  de- 
scended thus  about  half-way,  when,  having  to  turn 
to  one  side,  the  wagon  was  brought  into  a  sideling 
position,  and  Drury  had  to  stand  on  one  of  the  upper 
wheels  to  keep  it  from  toppling  over.  We  went  thus 
a  few  hundred  feet  further,  when,  smash!  over  wxnt 
the  whole  concern,  tumbling  and  scattering  the  goods 
into  the  brush,  overthrowing  and  crippling  the  mules, 
tearing  the  harness,  twisting  off  the  tire  of  one  of  the 
wheels,  and  breaking  the  tongue  square  off  near  the 
whipple-trees.  To  add  to  the  misfortune,  the  sun 
was  beating  down  fiercely  upon  us;  and  there  was  no 
water  near,  and  no  help. 

To  be  thus  circumstanced  is  one  of  the  discomforts 
which  hunters  have  to  expect  in  new  and  untried 
countries.  It  is  almost  enough  to  make  a  man  sink 
into  desperation,  and  forswear  an  adventurous  life 
forever.  But  the  difficulty  is  soon  forgotten  when 
a  man  goes  energetically  to  work  to  repair  damages; 
and,  when  all  is  over,  he  looks  back  upon  the  occasion 
as  one  of  the  bright  spots  in  his  career,  and  dwells 
upon  it  as  a  pleasure  and  an  honor.  There  was  here 
nothing  to  be  done  but  to  do  the  best  we  could. 
First,  I  gave  my  attention  to  Lady  Washington,  who, 
in  the  general  disaster,  had  been  pitched  over  with  so 
much  violence  that  her  nose  ploughed  up  a  furrow  in 
the  ground.  As  she  recovered  herself,  she  seemed 
frightened,  and  snuffed  and  snorted,  and  her  hair 
stood  on  end  in  great  agitation;    but  I  went  up  and 


ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE.  321 

patted  her  head,  and  in  a  few  moments  she  appeared 
to  be  pacified,  and  licked  my  hand,  as  if  she  under- 
stood the  affair  was  only  an  accident  and  entirely 
unintentional.  I  then  took  the  packsaddles,  and, 
placing  them  on  the  mules,  loaded  upon  them  portions 
of  the  luggage,  and  sent  Drury  to  the  foot  of  the  hill 
with  them;  and,  by  repeating  these  trips  several 
times,  we  finally  got  all  the  luggage  down.  In  the 
meanwhile,  I  managed  to  replace  the  tire  on  the 
wheel,  and,  cutting  two  oaken  timbers,  lashed  them 
with  lariats  and  thongs  of  green  hide  on  both  sides 
of  the  broken  tongue,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
it  temporarily  sufficient.  Next,  I  mended  the  torn 
harness  with  buckskin  and  raw  hide;  and,  by  night, 
we  succeeded  in  getting  the  wagon  down,  repacked, 
and  were  on  our  way  again. 

All  this  time,  however,  we  were  suffering  dreadfully 
from  the  want  of  water;  but,  fortunately,  there  was 
a  clear,  starry  sky,  and  I  determined  to  travel  on  till 
we  reached  the  stream  indicated  by  the  cotton-wood 
trees  which  we  had  seen  from  the  hill-top.  We  ac- 
cordingly proceeded  slowly  and  painfully  all  night, 
refreshed  a  little,  it  is  true,  by  the  cool  night-air,  but 
still  suffering  the  torture  of  thirst;  and  as  morning 
approached,  we  found  ourselves  near  the  cotton-woods. 
There  we  expected  water;  but,  upon  reaching  the 
banks  of  the  stream,  we  found  it  entirely  dry,  and  no 
water  or  sign  of  water  was  to  be  seen.  I  had  been 
told  by  the  rancheros  at  Pacheco's  Pass  that  we 
would  probably  find  water  in  pools  along  the  creek; 
but  now  everything  seemed  to  be  entirely  dried  up. 


322  ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE. 

The  creek  had  a  sandy  bottom,  and  bore  the  ap- 
pearance of  rising  and  sinking  again  every  few  miles, 
like  many  other  streams  in  the  southern  portion  of 
California;  and  I  directed  Drury  to  dismount  and 
follow  the  bed,  searching  for  pools,  while  I  would  drive 
along  the  bank.  He  dismounted,  very  unwillingly 
however,  and  wanted  to  know  why  he  could  not  ride, 
instead  of  walking.  I  told  him  there  were  two 
reasons:  first,  it  would  not  be  easy  to  get  the 
horse  down  the  bank  into  the  bed  of  the  creek,  and, 
secondly,  he  could  travel  over  the  loose  sand  in  the 
creek  on  foot  better  than  the  horse,  and  would  be 
more  likely  to  find  water.  He  rejoined  in  a  tone  of 
discontentment,  but  finally  threw  himself  down  the 
bank,  and  commenced  making  the  search.  I  drove 
along  on  the  bank  for  nearly  an  hour,  but  heard  noth- 
ing of  Drury,  and  began  to  think  he  had  deserted  me. 
A  thousand  suspicions,  indeed,  passed  through  my 
mind,  as  is  usual  when  we  have  no  confidence  in  per- 
sons whom  we  are  compelled  to  trust;  but,  finally, 
he  made  his  appearance  from  a  clump  of  bushes,  and 
reported  water. 

The  pool  which  he  had  discovered  was  situated 
under  a  cleft  of  rocks  in  a  deep  place,  about  fifty 
feet  below  the  bank,  which  was  there  very  steep,  and 
covered  with  trees  and  bushes.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  pool,  the  bank  sloped  more  gradually; 
but  as  we  could  not  reach  that  side  without  a  wide 
circuit,  we  were  under  the  necessity  of  carrying  the 
water  up  the  bank  to  our  animals.  Ben  and  Rambler, 
however,  no  sooner  saw  the  water  than  they  plunged 


ALONG  THE  COAST  RANGE.  323 

down  the  bank,  and,  running  up  to  their  middles, 
satisfied  their  thirst,  and  then  wallowed  and  rolled 
with  the  most  luxurious  satisfaction.  So  great  had 
been  our  trials  for  the  previous  twenty-four  hours, 
and  so  fatiguing  and  harassing  our  long  and  weary 
march,  that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  recruit; 
and  we  accordingly  unhitched  at  this  place,  and,  after 
a  hasty  breakfast,  having  first  attended  to  our  ani- 
mals, we  threw  ourselves  in  our  blankets  under  the 
shade  of  the  cotton-woods,  and  enjoyed  a  sound  and 
refreshing  sleep. 


324  Joaquin's  valley. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
Joaquin's  valley. 

Antelopes  at  the  Pool.  I  slay  one,  Ben  and  Rambler  in  Pursuit. 
Ben's  Dissatisfaction  and  Return.  His  Grumbling.  His  Luxuries. 
The  Canon  of  Joaquin's  Valley.  Joaquin's  straggling  Band.  Char- 
acteristics of  the  Valley.  Adventure  with  a  Bear  and  Cubs.  Ben's 
Treatment  of  a  Cub.  Fate  of  the  Cub.  A  Mountain  Peak,  and  the 
View  from  it.  Wild  Cattle.  Their  Appearance.  My  Camp  usurped. 
Suspicions.  The  "Generosity"  of  Thieves.  The  Strangers.  Visit 
to  a  Quicksilver  Mine.  What  might  have  been.  An  Elk  Hunt. 
Slaying  of  Elks.  Capture  of  Elk  Fawns.  Wild  Cattle  again.  Their 
Characteristics.  Travel  towards  Tulare  Lake.  Ben  Franklin's 
Exhaustion. 

When  I  awoke  from  my  sleep,  it  was  the  middle 
of  the  afternoon;  but  I  determined  to  push  ahead  as 
far  as  we  could  before  evening,  and  then  take  a  good 
night's  rest.  As  we  were  hitching  up,  however,  I 
noticed  the  bear  and  dog  pricking  up  their  ears  and 
exhibiting  signs  of  uneasiness,  as  if  there  was  some- 
thing in  the  wind.  Leaving  Drury  to  finish  hitching, 
I  took  my  rifle  and  stepped  back  towards  the  pool. 
The  bear  and  dog  seemed  anxious  to  pass  ahead,  but 
I  made  motions  and  signs  for  them  to  keep  back,  and 
they  dared  not  do  otherwise.  On  reaching  the  bank 
and  looking  over,  I  beheld  a  band  of  antelopes  stand- 
ing at  the  water,  and  drinking  as  if  very  thirsty.  I 
immediately  drew  my  rifle  and  fired,  and  one  dropped, 
when  the  others  turned  and  ran  up  the  slope  of  the 
bank  out  into  the  plain.     I  cried  to  the  dog  and  bear, 


WILD   CATTLE. 


Joaquin's  valley.  325 

and  they  set  out  in  pursuit,  the  former,  of  course, 
taking  the  lead. 

The  grizzly  Ben  started  with  the  greatest  courage 
and  the  most  resolute  determination;  but,  after  loping 
four  or  five  hundred  yards  over  the  sand,  he  wheeled 
around  to  see  whether  I  was  doing  my  part.  Seeing 
I  was  not  following,  he  at  once  decided  that  such 
treatment  was  not  justice;  and,  returning,  sat  himself 
down  on  his  haunches  in  front  of  me,  as  I  began  to 
skin  the  antelope.  The  noble  fellow  was  already  so 
well  trained,  that  he  never  presumed  to  touch  any- 
thing till  I  gave  it  to  him;  but  he  had  a  way  of  grum- 
bling for  food,  when  hungry,  that  was  irresistible.  I 
shall  never  forget  how  he  sat  there,  wistfully  eyeing 
my  carving,  looking  into  my  face,  and  remonstrating 
about  my  strictness  with  him.  His  perquisites  were 
generally  the  entrails  of  game,  of  which  he  was  re- 
markably fond;  but  as  he  now  had  to  wait  until  they 
were  removed,  his  impatience  at  last  assumed  such  a 
pitch,  that  he  got  excited,  and  grumbled  more  than 
ordinarily.  I  resolved  to  try  him  a  little,  and  placed 
food  in  such  a  way  as  to  tempt  him;  but  the  faithful 
fellow  continued  true  to  his  training,  and  the  meat  re- 
mained inviolate.  Seeing  this,  I  threw  his  portion  to 
him,  and  he  ate  until  I  almost  thought  he  would  burst, 
—  devouring  the  entrails,  and  lapping  up  the  liquid 
of  the  antelope's  stomach,  which  to  his  palate  seemed 
as  sweet  as  honey. 

As  soon  as  Ben  was  done,  I  carried  up  the  meat  to 
the  wagon,  and,  finding  all  ready,  we  started  off;  and, 
travelling  till  sundown,  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  a 


326  Joaquin's  valley. 

canon,  which  led  up  into  the  valley  of  which  I  was  in 
search.  It  was  a  very  rugged  opening,  the  rocks 
rising  nearly  perpendicularly  on  each  side,  leaving  but 
a  narrow  place  for  the  passage  of  a  small  stream  of 
water  which  came  from  the  valley.  There  was  no 
wagon  road,  and  as  difficulties  were  to  be  anticipated 
in  winding  up  into  the  valley,  I  determined  to  take 
the  next  morning  for  it,  and  camped  for  the  night. 

The  valley,  which  I  had  thus  reached,  was  noted  at 
one  time  as  the  head-quarters  of  Joaquin,  the  famous 
robber,  who,  during  his  brief  career,  spread  terror 
over  the  southern  country.  I  had  been  advised,  at 
Pacheco's,  not  to  go  there,  as  the  danger  of  being 
robbed,  and  perhaps  killed,  by  straggling  remnants  of 
this  lawless  desperado's  band  would  be  imminent;  but 
as  it  was  not  at  all  certain  that  any  were  there,  and 
as  our  danger  in  any  one  part  of  the  country  was 
nearly  as  great  as  in  another,  so  far  as  these  active 
and  ubiquitous  thieves  were  concerned,  I  paid  no  at- 
tention to  the  caution,  and,  as  the  event  proved, 
never  was  molested. 

Upon  advancing  up  the  caiion  the  next  day,  —  and 
to  do  so  we  had  to  cross  the  creek  at  least  a  dozen 
times,  and  once  to  unload,  —  we  found  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  valleys  in  all  California.  It  was  about 
six  miles  long  by  one  wide,  covered  with  grass  and 
grove-like  clumps  of  trees,  and  surrounded  by  moun- 
tains which,  in  some  places,  were  so  precipitous  that 
it  was  impossible  for  a  man  to  climb  them.  In  the 
centre  of  the  valley  was  a  ridge  of  slightly  elevated 
land,  dividing  into  two  branches  the  stream   which 


Joaquin's  valley.  327 

sprang  from  fountains  at  its  head.  A  stock-raiser 
could  not  desire  a  finer  location;  and  had  I  not  been 
a  hunter  of  wild  animals,  I  should  certainly  have 
wished  to  settle  down  here,  and  devote  my  attention 
to  the  rearing  of  domestic  ones. 

After  pitching  camp  under  some  fine  trees  in  this 
beautiful  valley,  and  eating  dinner,  I  took  my  rifle, 
and,  accompanied  as  usual  by  Ben  and  Rambler,  took 
a  stroll  towards  the  nearest  tongue  of  mountain,  which 
came  down  on  one  side.  As  we  approached  it,  Ben 
snuffed  the  air,  and  Rambler  grew  uneasy,  which  was 
sufficient  notification  that  there  was  game  near  by; 
and  looking  carefully  around,  I  discovered  a  female 
grizzly  with  two  cubs,  feeding  in  the  bushes  about  a 
hundred  yards  distant.  I  restrained  my  animal  com- 
panions immediately,  and  made  them  lie  down. 
Then  creeping  around,  unobserved  by  the  bears,  which 
were  very  busy,  I  raised  my  rifle,  and,  upon  firing, 
pierced  the  dam  at  the  first  shot.  Ben  and  Rambler, 
at  the  discharge,  were  on  their  feet,  and  would  have 
rushed  forward,  but  I  still  kept  them  back,  and,  re- 
loading, killed  one  of  the  cubs.  There  being  but  one 
cub  left,  I  allowed  the  bear  and  dog  to  advance,  and 
in  a  moment  they  were  upon  it.  Rambler  seized  a 
leg,  but  Ben  took  it  fairly  by  the  neck  and  shook  it 
terribly,  and  so  determined  and  persistent  was  he 
that  I  had  difficulty  in  making  him  release  his  hold. 
Indeed  it  was  necessary  to  give  him  several  good 
bouts  over  the  head,  before  he  could  be  induced  to 
forego  the  pleasure  of  shaking  the  saucy  little  cub 
into  pieces.     I  took  the  poor  thing  to  camp  after- 


328  Joaquin's  valley. 

wards,  and  gave  it  a  cage  for  preservation,  but  it  was 
fatally  injured,  and  soon  died. 

The  next  day,  after  hunting  in  the  valley  and 
killing  an  antelope  or  two,  we  left  camp  unprotected, 
and  paid  a  visit  to  a  high  peak  at  the  head  of  the 
canon.  It  was  a  queer-looking  mountain,  with  shelv- 
ing rocks  hanging  on  its  sides,  and  pine-trees  about 
its  summit,  which  led  off  by  ridges  to  mountains  be- 
yond. I  had  been  told  that  wild  cattle  frequented 
the  highest  parts  of  these  mountains;  and  it  was  in 
the  hopes  of  seeing  them,  that,  with  great  fatigue,  we 
ascended  the  peak.  When  we  reached  the  top,  we 
obtained  a  grand  view  over  all  the  country  round  about. 
Towards  the  ocean,  which,  however,  could  not  be 
seen,  the  land  was  rugged  and  broken.  On  the  oppo- 
site side,  a  range  of  hills  shut  out  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  but  far  beyond  we  could  see  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  a  line  along  the  horizon.  Below  us  was 
the  delightful  little  valley  where  our  camp  was 
pitched;  and  beyond,  the  larger  valley  through  which 
we  had  travelled  at  night,  when  suffering  from  the 
want  of  water. 

Having  satisfied  ourselves  with  the  prospect,  we 
advanced  a  short  distance  into  the  mountains,  and 
soon  discovered  a  herd  of  half  a  dozen  wild  cattle, 
which,  of  all  the  animals  I  had  ever  seen,  were  the 
most  savage  looking.  I  thought  I  had  seen  large 
horns  when  passing  through  Mexico,  but  they  were 
not  to  be  compared  with  these  California  specimens. 
The  cattle  themselves  were  extraordinarily  large; 
and  having  these  immense  horns,  with  shaggy  hair 


Joaquin's  valley  329 

about  the  shoulders  and  head,  they  presented  an 
appearance  ahnost  terrific.  Notwithstanding  their 
fierce  looks,  however,  they  fled  upon  seeing  us;  and, 
it  being  nearly  night,  we  turned  towards  camp  with- 
out attempting  to  pursue  them. 

Upon  clambering  back  to  the  brink  of  the  moun- 
tain, and  looking  down  into  the  valley,  I  was  aston- 
ished to  see  that  my  camp  was  in  the  possession  of 
strangers.  At  first,  it  seemed  as  if  my  eyes  must 
be  deceived;  but,  upon  drawing  forth  my  glass,  I 
could  distinctly  make  out  four  or  five  men  and  a  num- 
ber of  horses;  yet  who  they  were  it  was  impossible 
to  tell  in  the  dark.  They  had  made  a  fire  and 
usurped  my  camp;  so  that  the  suspicion  at  once 
flashed  across  my  mind  that  the  reports  about  Joa- 
quin's band  were  true,  and  that  here  I  had  fallen 
into  their  hands.  Under  the  circumstances,  I  knew 
not  for  a  while  what  to  do.  I  had  read,  during  my 
younger  days,  the  stories  of  famous  brigands  and 
robber  captains,  and  retained,  doubtless,  too  exalted 
an  idea  of  their  magnanimity;  but  my  maturer  judg- 
ment counselled  me  that  not  a  spark  of  generosity  can 
animate  the  soul  of  a  cut-throat  or  a  thief.  I  resolved, 
however,  to  run  the  risks  of  facing  the  strangers,  who- 
ever they  might  be;  and,  preparing  my  arms  for  use 
in  case  of  necessity,  we  descended  the  mountain,  and 
approached  the  fire  around  which  the  strangers  sat. 
Instead  of  finding  robbers,  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  two  American  gentlemen  and  five  Spaniards; 
the  former  from  San  Francisco,  on  a  visit  to  certain 
quicksilver  mines  in  that  vicinity,  and  the  latter  be- 


330  Joaquin's  valley. 

longing  to  the  neighborhood  of  Tulare  Lake,  where 
they  had  corrals  for  the  capture  of  mustangs.  They 
appeared  to  have  heard  of  me  at  Pacheco's,  and  had 
purposely  stopped  at  my  camp  to  procure  meat. 
When  I  told  them  of  the  thoughts  which  had  been 
suggested  to  me  by  their  appearance  from  the  moun- 
tain, they  were  highly  amused,  and  assured  me  that 
none  of  Joaquin's  followers  were  in  that  part  of  the 
country. 

The  next  morning,  after  the  Spaniards  left,  the 
American  gentlemen  induced  me  to  accompany  them 
to  the  mines  of  quicksilver,  which  were  eight  or  ten 
miles  distant.  We  proceeded  thither,  and  spent  the 
day  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  mines,  examining  them 
and  picking  up  specimens  of  the  cinnabar.  We  then 
returned,  taking  with  us  an  old  Spaniard,  whom  we 
found  living  at  the  place,  having  been  left  there  by  his 
companions,  who  had  gone  to  San  Luis  Obispo  for 
provisions.  I  had  no  knowledge  of  quicksilver  min- 
ing; but  was  told  that  the  ore  there  was  good,  and  that 
the  mines  would  one  day  be  valuable.  At  that  time, 
they  had  not  been  worked  much;  and,  at  the  then 
high  rates  of  labor,  it  would  not  justify  to  build  works 
and  employ  the  necessary  hands  to  carry  them  on.  I 
spoke  of  the  beauty  of  the  valley,  and  the  gentlemen 
agreed  with  me  about  its  value  when  the  mines  should 
come  to  be  extensively  used.  Recalling  my  im- 
pression of  the  place,  I  often  think  that,  had  I 
only  sat  down  and  taken  up  the  valley,  I  might 
now  have  been  a  kind  of  a  monarch,  the  possessor 
of  a  beautiful  little  kingdom,  with  uncounted  herds 


Joaquin's  valley.  331 

and  flocks  on  every  side.     But  such  was  not  my  des- 
tiny. 

The  next  morning,  after  the  Americans  left,  we  de- 
termined to  have  an  elk  hunt;  and  the  old  Spaniard 
took  us  to  a  ravine  among  the  mountains,  where  he 
informed  us  there  were  elks;  or  if  not,  he  said  it 
would  be  of  no  use  to  look  further,  and  we  might  con- 
clude that  they  had  all  gone  over  into  the  tules  of  the 
Tulare  Lake  country,  as  they  generally  did  in  the 
warm  season  or  fly-time.  When  we  reached  the 
place,  we  soon  discovered  a  band  of  a  dozen  or  fifteen 
elks,  with  half  a  dozen  young.  The  little  ones  were 
what  we  especially  sought;  and  I  at  once  laid  my 
plans  for  killing  an  old  one  or  two,  and  capturing  the 
young.  To  the  Spaniard,  accordingly,  I  gave  a  horse 
with  several  lassos;  and  Drury  I  stationed  at  the 
mouth  of  the  ravine  with  a  rifle;  while  I  myself  crept 
up  among  the  bushes  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  elks, 
to  try  the  flag  operation,  which  sometimes  works  well 
with  elks  as  well  as  with  antelopes.  Arriving  at  the 
desired  situation,  I  raised  a  red  silk  handkerchief  on 
a  stick,  and  imitated  the  elk  whistle,  all  of  which  had 
the  wished-for  effect.  The  animals  stopped  eating  and 
gazed  at  the  flag.  I  remained  concealed;  but  as  they 
came  up  close,  I  fired  through  the  bushes  and  killed 
the  nearest  one.  This  appeared  to  bewilder  the 
others;  and,  as  they  continued  to  approach,  I  quickly 
reloaded,  fired  a  second  time  and  disabled  a  second 
elk.  A  third  time  I  reloaded  and  fired,  when  the 
wounded  elk  bleated;  and  the  Spaniard,  supposing 
that  to  be  the  signal  agreed  upon,  advanced  with  his 


332  Joaquin's  valley. 

lassos.  Before  I  could  reload  a  fourth  time,  he 
plunged  among  the  elks,  and  soon  threw  a  lasso  over 
the  neck  of  one  of  the  little  ones;  while  the  others 
turned  and  ran  down  the  ravine.  I  sprang  forward 
and  took  the  lasso,  while  the  Spaniard  pursued  the  re- 
treating band,  and  managed  to  overtake  and  lasso  a 
second  little  one;  so  that  the  result  of  this  hunt  was 
three  old  ones  killed,  and  two  young  ones  captured, 
both  of  which  I  subsequently  managed  to  raise. 

The  next  day,  having  jerked  the  elk-meat  and  left 
it  to  dry,  the  Spaniard  and  I  ascended  the  mountains 
for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  wild  cattle  again;  and 
we  soon  came  upon  a  herd  of  fifteen  or  twenty.  I 
tried  to  induce  the  old  man  to  lasso  one  of  them;  but 
he  replied  that  it  would  be  impossible,  as  the  ground 
was  too  rough  and  the  cattle  too  strong  and  desperate 
to  attack  in  that  way.  Giving  up  this  idea,  therefore,  I 
crept  around  among  the  rocks  within  range,  and  fired 
at  a  bull,  which  I  wounded  so  badly  that  he  was  not 
able  to  keep  up  with  the  flying  herd;  and  with 
another  ball  I  managed  to  kill  him.  He  was  a  great 
curiosity  to  me,  and  differed  so  much  from  ordinary 
cattle  that  I  felt  almost  disposed  to  beheve  him  of  a 
new  species.  It  is  generally  considered  that  these 
cattle  are  the  offspring  of  cows  which  escaped  many 
years  ago  from  the  rancheros  in  the  valleys,  and  that 
they  have  become  perfectly  wild.  Be  this  as  it  may, 
their  hides  are  thicker,  their  hair  longer  and  shaggier, 
and  their  eyes  more  like  those  of  the  buffalo  than  those 
of  any  domestic  cattle.  The  horns  are  very  large, 
and  I  have  frequently  regretted  that  I  left  those  of 


Joaquin's  valley.  333 

this  bull  lying,  when  I  might  so  easily  have  packed 
them  with  the  meat  to  camp,  and  hauled  them  along 
with  my  other  curiosities. 

Upon  reaching  camp  again,  I  concluded  that  it  was 
time  to  resume  the  journey  towards  Kern  River;  and 
accordingly,  the  next  day,  after  making  the  old  Span- 
iard some  acceptable  presents,  we  hitched  up,  and 
passed  out  of  the  valley  by  the  same  road  by  which 
we  had  entered  it,  and  then  travelled  towards  the 
San  Joaquin  River  over  a  hot,  sandy,  waterless  plain. 
We  must  have  gone,  I  think,  about  thirty  miles,  when 
Ben  Franklin  exhibited  so  much  fatigue  that  we  were 
compelled  to  stop.  There  were  no  signs  of  water, 
except  a  line  of  cotton-wood  trees  away  off  to  the 
east,  showing  the  line  of  the  river;  and,  for  fear  we 
could  not  reach  it,  I  sent  Drury  ahead  on  horseback 
with  a  leather  bag,  directing  him  to  fill  it  and  return 
as  quickly  as  possible.  As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  I 
started  slowly  ahead,  encouraging  my  jaded  animals 
as  much  as  possible;  but  in  a  few  miles  was  again 
compelled  to  stop,  finding  that  Ben  had  entirely  given 
out.  The  poor  fellow's  feet  were  dreadfully  blistered 
by  the  hot  sand,  and  do  what  I  might  he  refused  to 
budge.  I  wound  pieces  of  cloth  about  his  paws,  but 
they  did  no  good;  he  stretched  himself  out,  and  could 
not,  or  would  not,  march  any  further. 


334  TULARE    LAKE    AND    KERN    RIVER. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

TULARE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER. 

The  Condition  of  Ben  Franklin.  Procurement  of  Water.  Search  for 
Ben  at  Night.  Loading  Ben  on  the  Wagon.  Doctoring  of  Ben. 
His  Moccasins.  The  Tulare  Country.  The  Rivers.  Game.  An 
Indian  Village.  Visit  to  an  Island.  An  Indian  Canoe.  Birds. 
Drury's  Adventure  with  an  Elk.  Capture  of  a  Fawn.  Return  to 
the  Village.  Travel.  Mustangs.  The  Four  Creeks.  Kern  River 
Mine-s.  A  Day  in  the  Mines.  My  Determination.  Discovery  of 
three  Grizzlies.  Attack  upon  them.  Ben  and  Rambler  in  the 
Fight.  A  Grizzly  at  Bay.  Ben  and  Rambler  on  the  Track.  Find- 
ing of  the  Bear.  Rashness  of  the  Attack.  Adventure  with  a 
cowardly  Grizzly  Dam.  Capture  of  the  Cubs.  A  moonlight  Ad- 
venture with  a  Grizzly.     Ben  in  Combat.     Death  of  the  Enemy. 

The  condition  of  my  poor  Ben,  as  he  lay  panting 
on  the  sand  of  the  San  Joaquin  plains,  unable  to  fol- 
low me  any  further,  and  looking  up  affectionately,  but 
despairingly,  from  the  midst  of  his  pain,  in  my  face, 
grieved  me  to  the  heart,  and  gave  me  great  uneasi- 
ness. He  was  my  favorite;  I  could  well  have  spared 
any  other  animal  rather  than  Ben;  and  I  feared  he 
would  die.  I  reproached  myself  for  having  brought 
no  water  along,  but  as  the  fault  could  not  be  helped 
by  reproaches,  I  hastily  split  some  pieces  of  board 
from  my  wagon,  and  erecting  a  frame  and  throwing  a 
large  blanket  over  it,  so  as  to  make  shade,  left  Ben  and 
Rambler  there,  and  then  I  drove  on  with  the  intention 
of  procuring  water  and  returning  more  speedily  than 
Drury,  who  had  no  interests  at  stake,  would  be  dis- 


TULARE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER.  335 

posed  to  do.  In  the  course  of  four  or  five  miles  I 
met  Drury  with  his  bag  of  water;  and,  hastily  handing 
him  the  reins,  with  directions  to  drive  on,  I  mounted 
the  horse  and  galloped  back  to  where  Ben  lay  suffer- 
ing. It  was  dark  when  I  reached  him,  and  to  all  ap- 
pearance he  had  not  moved  from  the  position  in  which 
I  left  him.  He  had  life  enough,  however,  to  express 
his  gratitude,  and  drank  several  quarts  of  water  with 
avidity.  I  then  endeavored  to  coax  him  along,  and 
he  took  a  few  steps;  but  neither  flattery  nor  blows 
could  induce  him  to  move  far. 

Seeing  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  him  along,  I 
again  let  him  lie,  and  rode  ahead  for  the  wagon,  which 
I  found  at  the  side  of  a  spring.  The  mules  and 
horses  were  turned  out  to  graze,  and  Drury  was  lying 
asleep  at  the  fire,  which  he  had  hastily  kindled.  I 
roused  him,  and  ordered  him  to  assist  in  hitching  up 
the  wagon  again,  to  go  back  for  Ben.  He  obeyed, 
and  we  soon  unloaded  the  heaviest  of  our  articles, 
and,  leaving  them  at  the  spring,  drove  back.  As  the 
country,  however,  was  new  to  us,  and  the  night  dark, 
we  by  some  means  or  other  missed  the  way,  and  could 
see  no  signs  of  what  we  sought.  We  looked  about 
all  night  till  daylight,  but  there  was  no  Ben  in  sight. 
I  at  last  sent  Drury  in  one  direction  and  myself  took 
another,  by  which  means  we  succeeded  in  a  few  hours 
in  finding  the  trail,  and  finally  discovered  the  bear 
lying  under  his  blanket.  We  gave  him  water  again, 
but  still  he  could  not  walk,  and  we  had  to  place  him 
in  the  wagon,  —  which  could  not  be  done  without  some 
difficulty,   us  by   that   time  he  would   weigh   in   the 


336  TULARE    LAKE    AND   KERN    RIVER. 

neighborhood  of  four  hundred  pounds.  When  at  last 
we  did  get  him  in,  partly  by  our  own  strength  and 
partly  by  his  assistance,  we  drove  on  to  the  spring, 
and  camped. 

On  account  of  the  bear's  condition,  we  were  com- 
pelled to  remain  two  days  at  this  spring,  during  which 
time  I  doctored  him.  My  treatment  met  with  suc- 
cess, and  we  soon  got  him  on  his  legs  again.  In  the 
meanwhile,  as  his  feet  continued  sore,  I  made  mocca- 
sins, as  I  had  done  on  the  Humboldt  plains,  and 
poured  bear's  oil  in  them,  —  which  was  an  excellent 
salve  for  the  blisters.  The  moccasins  were  bound 
tightly  to  the  feet,  and  a  muzzle  was  put  over  the 
nose,  to  prevent  him  from  tearing  them  ofi'.  They 
worked  well,  and  on  the  third  day  after  reaching  the 
spring  we  hitched  up  again,  and  drove  on  to  the  edge 
of  Tulare  Lake. 

The  head  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  consists  of  a 
vast  area  of  nearly  level  country,  inclosing  several 
lakes,  the  largest  of  which  bears  the  name  of  Tulare, 
—  an  extensive  body  of  water,  surrounded  by  a  sel- 
vage, many  miles  in  extent,  of  tules,  or  bulrushes. 
There  appears  to  be  a  drainage  from  the  lake  into  the 
San  Joaquin  River,  but  no  large  stream;  and  at  the 
time  I  passed,  though  there  were  some  sloughs  with 
water  in  them,  I  may  almost  say  that  we  crossed  the 
valley  dry  shod.  We  could  see  nothing  of  the  lake 
itself,  but  miles  after  miles  of  tule  country  spread  out 
before  us;  and  far  to  the  east  we  saw  a  line  of  trees, 
which  denoted  the  position  of  King's  River.  As  we 
passed  along,  we  heard  the  whistling  of  elks  in  the 


TULAKE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER.  337 

tules,  but  did  not  stop.  We  proceeded  on  around  the 
end  of  the  lake,  until  we  arrived  in  the  timber  on 
King's  River,  where  we  camped. 

The  rivers  in  this  part  of  the  country  are  very  pe- 
culiar. After  leaving  the  Sierra  Nevada,  they  divide 
into  a  number  of  branches,  in  some  instances  reunit- 
ing, and  in  others  running  separate  to  the  lake. 
King's  River  reunites;  but  the  next  stream,  called 
Four  Creeks,  after  leaving  the  mountains  as  one 
stream,  divides  into  four,  which  spread  out  from  one 
another  like  the  ribs  of  an  open  fan.  Their  banks  are 
timbered,  and  particularly  those  of  the  Four  Creeks, 
which  presents  a  most  beautiful  and  rich  valley,  full 
of  fertile  land  and  fine  timber.  The  King's  River 
country  is  rolling  and  rather  barren,  but  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  lake  there  is  timber  and  tule,  and 
game  is  plenty.  We  stopped  there  several  days,  and 
killed  a  number  of  elks,  besides  capturing  one  young 
one,  which  we  placed  by  the  side  of  the  others  that 
we  had  brought  with  us  in  our  wagon  from  the  Coast 
Range. 

On  the  borders  of  the  lake,  near  the  mouth  of 
King's  River,  there  was  an  Indian  village,  which  we 
visited  on  the  day  after  our  arrival  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. There  were  about  a  hundred  Indians  in  it  at 
that  time,  and  I  engaged  two  boys  of  them  to  take  me 
to  an  island  in  the  lake,  where  there  was  said  to  be  elks 
in  abundance,  and  birds  of  various  kinds  in  astonish- 
ing plenty.  W'e  set  out  on  foot  from  the  village, 
where  I  left  my  animals,  and,  after  wading  through 
the  tules  nearly  a  mile,  reached  a  canoe,  which  was 


338  TULARE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER. 

made  of  several  logs  fastened  together  side  by  side, 
and  calked  with  tules  and  mud.  In  this,  we  crossed 
an  arm  of  the  lake,  and  landed  on  a  small  wooded 
island,  which  was  a  place  of  birds  indeed.  There 
were  birds  in  almost  incredible  numbers,  —  ducks, 
geese,  swans,  cranes,  curlews,  snipes,  and  various 
other  kinds,  in  all  stages  of  growth,  and  eggs  by  thou- 
sands among  the  grass  and  tules.  There  were  also 
beavers'  works  in  every  direction;  and  we  saw  also 
elks  in  numbers,  which  fled  into  the  tules  at  our 
approach. 

Upon  reaching  the  island,  the  Indian  boys  at  once 
began  gathering  up  young  birds  and  eggs;  but  Drury 
and  I  pursued  the  elks,  one  of  which  I  killed  outright. 
Drury  managed  to  wound  a  second,  and,  after  reload- 
ing, followed  it  into  the  reeds  for  another  shot;  but 
the  animal  turned  upon  him,  and  struck  him  down 
into  the  mud.  He  roared  for  help,  and  I  rushed  to 
his  assistance,  in  time  to  kill  the  elk  and  save  his  life. 
As  I  pulled  him  out  of  the  mire,  notwithstanding  the 
serious  nature  of  the  accident,  I  could  not  help  laugh- 
ing at  the  pitiful  face  he  made;  but  he  took  my  laugh- 
ing as  an  offence,  and  became  so  very  sulky  that  for 
the  remainder  of  the  hunt  I  had  to  do  all  the  work 
alone.  While,  therefoTe,  Drury  sat  on  the  grass 
doing  nothing,  I  took  my  rifle  and  rambled  out  among 
the  small  mounds  which  rose  here  and  there  among 
the  tules,  after  more  elks.  While  creeping  along,  I 
happened  to  see  a  fawn  a  few  days  old,  which  was  so 
well  hidden  away  that  had  it  not  been  by  mere 
chance  I  would  not  have  seen  him.     His  body  lay 


TULARE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER.  339 

flat,  almost  entirely  covered  with  young  tules,  and  only 
his  eyes  peeped  out.  I  feared  frightening  him,  but 
slyly  laying  aside  my  rifle,  and  creeping  up,  I  made 
a  sudden  leap,  and  seized  him.  He  however  bleated 
so  loudly  that,  fearing  his  cries  would  attract  his  dam 
to  dispute  my  prize,  and  make  a  combat  necessary,  I 
held  his  jaws,  and  muzzled  him.  Soon  afterwards  we 
embarked  again  in  the  canoe,  with  the  fawn,  the 
slaughtered  elks,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  young 
birds  and  eggs,  and  returned  to  the  village,  where  the 
Indians  gathered  around,  and  discussed  our  successful 
hunting  with  great  interest.  Altogether,  this  island 
hunt  was  as  pleasant  and  interesting  to  me  as  any  I 
had  enjoyed  during  the  season. 

The  next  day  we  proceeded  on  our  journey.  We 
travelled  over  a  rather  barren  country,  with  the  tule 
marshes  to  our  right,  and  the  white  line  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  far  to  our  left.  We  passed  a  band  of  splen- 
did mustang  horses,  to  which  we  gave  chase  for  a 
short  distance  without  being  able  to  overtake  them, 
and  then  proceeded  on  our  way  southward.  The 
next  day  we  reached  the  Four  Creeks,  where  there 
was  scenery  of  a  very  beautiful  description,  and  a 
country  rich,  well  timbered,  and  well  stocked  with 
game;  but  as  we  were  now  well  provided,  and  there 
was  no  advantage  to  be  gained  by  delaying,  we  pushed 
on  from  this  point  for  a  number  of  days,  until  we  ar- 
rived in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Kern  River  mines, 
where  we  camped. 

The  whole  of  the  next  day  after  reaching  the 
mines,  I  spent  among  the  miners,  looking  at  their 


340  TULARE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER. 

work,  hearing  them  talk  about  their  claims,  and  exam- 
ining their  returns.  From  this  one  day's  investiga- 
tion, I  became  satisfied  that  there  was  nothing  to  be 
done  at  mining.  There  were,  however,  a  large  num- 
ber of  persons  in  the  region  who  had  to  be  fed;  and 
I  at  once  determined  to  turn  my  attention  to  hunting 
and  supplying  game,  which  brought  a  good  price. 
The  very  next  day,  accordingly,  I  forded  Kern  River, 
and  proceeded  about  ten  miles  into  the  mountainous 
country  beyond;  where,  finding  the  signs  of  bears 
and  deer  in  abundance,  I  made  a  general  camp,  and 
prepared  for  general  hunting. 

The  next  morning  early,  I  started  out,  accompanied 
by  Drury,  my  bear  Ben,  and  my  dog  Rambler,  on  a 
hunt.  In  a  short  time,  we  saw  three  large  grizzlies 
feeding  among  the  chaparral  on  the  side  of  a  rocky 
ravine.  They  were  far  off,  and  it  was  difficult  to  ap- 
proach on  account  of  the  brush;  but,  creeping  around, 
followed  by  my  companions,  I  got  within  sixty  or 
seventy  yards.  The  bears,  in  the  mean  time,  evidently 
suspected  danger,  and  began  snuffing  the  air,  rising 
upon  their  hind  legs,  and  looking  about  as  if  to  see 
where  it  was.  I  gave  them,  however,  little  time  to 
consider  their  situation;  for,  drawing  my  rifle  and 
firing,  I  bored  the  nearest  through  the  heart.  As  he 
fell,  I  seized  Drury's  rifle  and  fired  at  the  second, 
when  the  third  turned  and  fled.  The  second  bear 
was  evidently  wounded,  and  I  urged  on  Ben  and 
Rambler,  who  were  uneasily  waiting  my  permission 
to  rush  forward.  It  required  but  a  word,  when  the 
faithful  creatures  bounded  forth;    and  a  terrific  com- 


TULARE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER.  341 

bat  took  place  between  Ben  and  the  wounded  bear. 
Meanwhile,  I  had  drawn  my  knife,  and  was  rushing 
forward  through  the  brush  to  assist  Ben,  when  the 
enemy  suddenly  turned  tail  and  plunged  down  the 
ravine,  with  Ben  and  Rambler  at  his  heels.  I  fol- 
lowed, and,  upon  reaching  them,  found  the  bear  at 
bay,  with  his  back  in  a  dark  hole  which  was  choked 
up  with  rocks  and  brush,  while  Ben  and  Rambler 
were  attacking  him  in  front.  I  reloaded  as  quickly 
as  possible,  while  they  were  snapping  at  each  other, 
and  fired  again,  but  under  so  great  a  state  of  excite- 
ment as  to  miss  my  mark;  and  the  bear  again  put 
off,  followed  by  Ben  and  Rambler  as  before.  We 
pursued  at  least  half  a  mile,  when  the  country  became 
so  rough  as  to  be  perfectly  impracticable;  and,  re- 
solving to  give  up  the  chase,  I  called  off  Ben  and  the 
dog,  and  returned  to  where  the  first  bear  had  fallen. 

Upon  our  reaching  the  spot,  the  bear  was  nowhere 
to  be  seen;  but  a  line  of  blood  indicated  the  direction 
in  which  he  had  crawled  off.  Ben  and  Rambler  took 
up  the  trail,  and  I  followed  them  three  hundred  yards 
through  the  brush,  into  the  bottom  of  the  ravine,  near  a 
pool  of  water,  where  we  found  the  old  fellow  stretched 
out  and  dead.  The  ball  with  which  I  struck  him 
had  passed  through  his  heart;  and  yet  he  lived  long 
enough,  and  had  strength  enough,  to  drag  himself 
thus  far.  He  proved  to  be  one  of  the  largest  bears 
I  ever  shot,  and  I  congratulated  myself  that  the 
others  had  not  remained  to  make  a  more  determined 
fight.  Often  since  then  have  I  thought  of  the  rash- 
ness of  my  rushing  into  the  brush  after  them,  and 


342  TULARE    LAKE    AND    KERN    RIVER. 

can  only  explain  it  by  the  fact  that  it  was  my  first 
bear  fight  for  several  weeks. 

After  cutting  the  meat  up,  I  proceeded  to  the 
mines  and  disposed  of  it,  together  with  a  quantity 
of  venison  which  I  had  killed.  In  a  day  or  two  after- 
wards, we  had  another  bear  adventure.  On  this 
occasion,  we  came  upon  a  female  grizzly  and  two 
young  cubs,  playing  on  a  hill-side.  I  fired,  and 
wounded  the  dam,  and  then  set  Ben  and  Rambler 
on  her;  but  the  cowardly  thing  ran,  and  deserted  her 
cubs,  —  an  action  which  a  bear  of  more  northern  lat- 
itudes would  not  be  guilty  of.  It  is  only  in  the  south, 
where  heat  enervates  the  species,  that  such  despi- 
cable natures  exist.  As  the  dam  ran,  Ben  followed 
her;  but  Rambler  seized  one  cub  by  the  ear,  and 
held  it  till  I  came  up.  We  then  rushed  at  the  other, 
and,  with  some  chasing,  succeeded  in  securing  it  also. 
We  then  called  Ben  back  and  returned  to  camp. 

A  few  evenings  after  this,  having  shot  a  deer  near 
camp,  I  went  out  upon  a  mule  by  moonlight  to  pack 
it  in.  Upon  approaching  it,  I  heard  a  noise,  and, 
after  listening  a  few  moments,  satisfied  myself  that  a 
bear  was  making  his  supper  of  the  game.  I  dis- 
mounted, and,  motioning  Ben  and  Rambler  to  keep 
behind,  I  crept  up  within  fair  distance,  and  fired  as 
well  as  I  could  in  such  a  poor  light.  Fortunately,  the 
ball  struck  the  bear  a  serious  blow,  and  I  allowed  Ben 
and  Rambler  to  rush  forward.  Ben  seized  hold  im- 
mediately, and  a  pretty  even  fight  took  place;  Ben 
sometimes  on  top,  and  the  other  sometimes.  I  ran 
up  within  three  or  four  yards,  so  that  it  was  easy  to 


TULARE    LAKE   AND   KERN    RIVER.  343 

distinguish  between  them,  Ben  being  considerably 
the  darker  in  color.  As  the  struggle  went  on,  Ben 
suddenly  threw  his  adversary  on  the  ground,  when, 
seizing  the  opportunity,  I  fired  a  pistol  ball  into  the 
latter,  and  soon  afterwards  managed  to  thrust  my 
knife  also  into  him.  He  fought  well,  but  I  think  Ben 
could  have  vanquished  him  in  a  fair  fight. 


344  THE   TEJON. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   TEJON. 

Advance  towards  the  Tejon.  Adventure  with  a  cinnamon  Bear  and 
Cubs.  Capture  of  the  Cubs.  Rambler's  faithful  Intelligence. 
Attack  of  Sickness.  Raging  Fever.  Errand  of  Drury.  Return  of 
the  Chills.  Delirium.  Feverous  Imaginations.  A  Visitor.  The 
Old  Spaniard's  Prescription.  Willow  Bark  and  red  Pepper.  More 
Visitors.  A  terrific  Scream  at  Midnight.  Effect  of  the  Word 
"Tarantula."  A  Scorpion.  Condition  of  the  old  Spaniard.  The 
best  Medicine  in  the  World.  Tobacco  and  Snakeweed.  Symptoms 
of  a  perfect  Cure.  Mountain  Therapeutics.  Origin  of  my  Disease. 
Drury's  Idleness  and  Vice.  Pictures  in  the  Coals.  Return  of 
Drury.  His  pitiful  Story.  His  Confusion.  Over  the  Mountains. 
The  Sand  Ocean.     A  midnight  Visitor.     A  majestic  Animal. 

A  FEW  days  after  the  last  adventure,  business  be- 
coming dull  about  Kern  River,  I  struck  my  camp; 
and,  taking  all  my  animals  and  goods,  such  as  were 
not  consumed  or  disposed  of  at  the  mines,  I  proceeded 
towards  the  Tejon  Pass.  It  is  in  the  neighborhood  of 
this  place  that  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Coast  Range 
mountains  interlock  their  rugged  chains.  My  object 
here  was  to  hunt  cinnamon  or  red  bears,  which  were 
reported  to  be  found  in  abundance  in  the  region. 
After  travelling  a  few  days,  and  approaching  within 
about  thirty  miles  of  the  Pass,  we  camped. 

Upon  making  an  early  morning  excursion  into  the 
hills,  we  soon  came  across  an  old  bear  and  three  cubs 
of  the  desired  species.  Their  fur  was  long  and  wav- 
ing, and  looked  beautiful  and  glossy  in  the  rays 
of  the  morning  sun.     I  crept  up  without  being  ob- 


THE   TEJON.  345 

served  and  shot  the  dam;  when  Ben  and  Rambler 
rushed  forward,  first  at  the  old  bear,  but  finding  her 
dead,  then  into  the  bush  after  the  cubs,  which  had 
endeavored  to  hide  themselves.  In  a  few  minutes 
Ben  seized  one  of  the  cubs  and  shook  it  dreadfully. 
I  ran  up  to  save  it,  when  a  second  cub  jumped  up  be- 
fore me,  which  I  seized  in  one  hand,  and  rushing  up 
to  Ben  made  him  drop  the  first;  but  it  was  too  late, 
his  teeth  had  crushed  its  ribs,  and  the  poor  thing  after 
a  few  gasps  expired. 

In  the  mean  time  Rambler  had  ferreted  out  the 
third  cub,  and  now  had  his  paw  upon  it,  and  appeared 
to  be  biting  it  in  the  neck.  As  I  approached  and 
seized  his  prize,  the  sagacious  dog  looked  up  with  a 
most  expressive  face  and  wagged  his  tail,  as  much  as 
to  assure  me  he  had  done  his  duty  faithfully,  which 
indeed  he  had;  for  I  received  the  cub  uninjured. 
We  soon  had  the  two  secured;  and  packing  the  dead 
ones  upon  mules,  carrying  the  others,  we  returned  to 
camp. 

The  same  day,  after  a  hearty  dinner  of  bear's  meat, 
I  started  out  for  an  evening  hunt;  but  soon  began  to 
feel  queer,  though  I  did  not  know  what  was  the  mat- 
ter. The  farther  I  went  the  worse  I  felt,  and  at  last, 
becoming  very  weak,  I  sat  down  to  rest;  but,  con- 
tinuing to  grow  worse,  I  got  up  again  and  attempted 
to  return.  By  this  time,  however,  my  head  ached 
dreadfully;  and,  after  a  few  steps,  I  was  compelled 
to  sit  down  again,  and  all  at  once  was  taken  with  a 
violent  shivering  and  shaking.  Being  unable  to  pro- 
ceed I  lay  down  until  the  chill  was  over,  when  a  burn- 


340  THE   TEJON. 

ing  fever  came  on;  but  nevertheless  I  managed  by  de- 
grees to  crawl  back  to  camp,  where  I  immediately 
turned  into  my  blankets.  During  the  entire  night  a 
fearful  fever  raged  in  my  veins,  and  a  dreadful  head- 
ache drove  me  almost  to  distraction.  Indeed,  I  found 
that  I  had  a  severe  attack  of  chills  and  fever. 

The  next  morning  the  first  thing  I  did  was  to  dis- 
patch Drury  on  a  mule  to  the  Government  post  at  the 
Tejon  Pass,  to  purchase  quinine,  and  he  started  off. 
I  hardly  knew  what  to  do  during  his  absence;  but, 
as  it  happened,  the  chills  did  not  return  that  day 
The  next,  however,  they  came  back  with  increased 
violence.  Upon  feeling  their  approach,  I  placed  my- 
self in  the  sun,  and  piled  all  the  clothing  and  skins  I 
could  rake  and  scrape  together  on  top  of  me;  still  I 
shook  as  if  I  were  going  to  shake  to  pieces.  In  the 
course  of  a  few  hours  my  head  ached  as  if  it  would 
split  open,  and  then  a  distracting  fever  came  on,  when 
I  became  delirious,  and  dreamed  the  most  dreadful 
dreams,  —  in  the  midst  of  which  I  appeared  to  wake  by 
fits  and  starts  and  see  strange  sights.  At  one  time  I 
thought  I  was  burning  up  with  thirst  in  the  Colorado 
desert;  at  another  time  I  was  fighting  the  judges  and 
lawyers  of  Sonora;  and  at  another  I  thought  I  was 
having  a  desperate  encounter  with  a  grizzly  in  the 
mountains,  and  that  he  was  literally  tearing  the 
flesh  from  my  bones.  Again  I  imagined  that  I  was 
condemned,  although  not  conscious  of  having  ever 
wronged  my  fellow-man,  and  was  suffering  the  most 
excruciating  pains  in  the  place  of  torture.  How  long 
these  dreams  lasted  I  do  not  know,  but  it  seems  that 


THE  TEJON.  347 

I  must  have  passed  by  degrees  into  a  kind  of  stupor; 
for  about  dark  I  was  roused  from  a  deep  sleep  by  a 
violent  shake  and  some  one  calling,  "Americano! 
Americano."  I  raised  myself,  and  found  before  me 
an  old  Spaniard,  who  by  chance  had  stopped  at  my 
camp  on  his  way  from  the  Tejon  to  the  Tulare 
country. 

The  old  stranger  asked  permission  to  pass  the  night 
with  me,  which  I  gladly  accorded.  I  was  now  per- 
fectly conscious  again,  and  described  to  him  my  con- 
dition. He  said  that  he  thought  he  could  cure  me, 
and  immediately  went  to  work  preparing  a  mess,  con- 
taining liberal  quantities  of  willow  bark  and  red  pep- 
per, which  he  told  me  to  swallow.  I  tasted  the  mix- 
ture, and  remarked  that  it  was  too  hot.  He  replied 
that  it  was  just  right;  and  I  at  length  worried  the 
horrible  stuff  down.  The  old  man  then,  at  my  direc- 
tion, made  himself  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  we  both  turned 
into  our  blankets.  I  slept  quietly  till  midnight,  when 
two  more  Spaniards,  attracted  by  our  fire,  rode  up, 
and  asked  to  stay  the  night,  —  a  request  which  I 
never  refused.  I  told  them  to  help  themselves  to 
supper;  and  when  they  had  done  so,  they  also  turned 
into  their  blankets  on  the  other  side  of  the  fire,  by  the 
side  of  the  old  man,  and  we  were  soon  all  soundly 
asleep. 

How  long  after  this  it  was  I  know  not,  but  I  was 
in  a  profound  repose,  when  a  piercing  shriek  from 
the  old  Spaniard  suddenly  aroused  me.  Supposing 
that  some  diabolical  murder  was  going  on.  I  sprang 
to  my  feet  in  an  instant,  entirely  forgetful  of  my  sick- 


348  THE  TEJON. 

ness,  and  seizing  my  rifle  in  one  hand,  and  drawing 
my  bowie-knife  with  the  other,  I  stood  on  the  defen- 
sive. It  was  starUght,  and  I  could  see  a  movement 
among  the  Spaniards,  but  it  was  too  dark  to  ascertain 
exactly  what  the  trouble  was.  I,  however,  called  out 
in  a  loud  tone  to  know  the  difficulty,  when  one  of  the 
Spaniards  replied,  that  the  old  man  was  bitten  by  a 
tarantula.  The  very  name  of  this  poisonous  spider, 
shocked  my  whole  system,  and  caused  the  blood  to 
run  cold  to  the  extremities  of  my  body;  the  idea  of 
the  miserable  death  he  would  have  to  die,  almost  over- 
powered me;  and  for  a  few  minutes  I  had  not  the 
power  to  move  to  his  relief.  But  as  the  shock  passed 
off,  I  seized  a  torch  and  passed  over  to  the  old  man, 
who  was  sitting  up,  gasping  and  looking  ghastly  pale. 
I  supposed  he  was  dying,  but  mechanically  turned  to 
the  blankets,  and  remarking  that  I  had  seen  no  taran- 
tulas in  this  part  of  the  country  as  yet,  turned  them 
open,  when  out  fell  —  a  wounded  scorpion. 

The  old  man  supposed,  as  we  all  did,  that  death 
was  upon  him;  but  the  moment  he  heard  the  word 
scorpion,  he  brightened  up  in  an  instant,  and  when  I 
held  the  reptile  up  before  him,  it  acted  as  well  as  the 
best  medicine  in  the  world  could  have  done;  for  he 
well  knew  that  a  scorpion's  sting  is  not  necessarily 
fatal.  We  then  examined  the  wound,  which  was  in 
the  thigh,  but  fortunately  not  near  any  large  or  im- 
portant blood-vessel,  though  it  was  already  dreadfully 
inflamed  and  swollen.  The  Spaniards  remarked  that 
tobacco  was  good  for  such  a  wound,  to  which  I  re- 
plied yes,  but  I  had  something  better,  —  referring  to  a 


THE   TEJON.  349 

weed  which  is  used  by  the  Indians  in  cases  of  rattle- 
snake bites,  a  supply  of  which  I  carried  in  my  wagon, 
and  proceeded  at  once  to  get  it,  together  with  a  plug 
of  tobacco.  These  we  picked  to  pieces,  and  made  a 
poultice  of  them,  with  which  we  bound  the  wound, 
and  then  gave  the  patient  tea  made  of  the  snake-weed 
to  drink.  Whether  the  medicine  cured  the  wound  or 
not,  it  might  perhaps  be  difficult  to  tell  with  certainty; 
but  the  next  day,  after  a  good  long  sleep,  the  old  man 
eat  a  remarkably  hearty  dinner  of  roast  bear  meat, 
and  pronounced  it  mucho  hueno.  —  He  was  cured. 

For  a  day  or  two  after  this,  I  continued  doctoring 
myself  according  to  the  old  man's  prescriptions,  and 
with  an  eventual  very  good  result.  I  took  the 
pounded  bark  of  common  willow,  and  made  a  strong 
infusion,  which  I  drank  upon  feeling  the  premonitory 
chill  on  the  next  regular  day  of  attack.  It  seemed 
to  break  the  disease;  and,  subsequently,  when  a 
slight  fever  came  on,  I  crept  down  to  the  creek,  upon 
which  I  lay  camped,  and  took  not  only  a  hearty  drink, 
but  at  the  same  time  washed  my  head  and  shoulders 
repeatedly.  This  treatment,  although  contrary  per- 
haps to  all  the  rules  of  therapeutics,  worked  admira- 
bly; as  the  fever  went  down,  I  returned  to  my  blank- 
ets, and  was  soon  in  a  sound  and  healthy  slumber;  and 
I  was  never  afterwards  troubled  with  chills  and  fever. 

This  attack  of  ague,  the  origin  of  which  was, 
doubtless,  my  constant  exposure,  for  some  weeks 
previously,  to  the  malarious  atmosphere  of  the  Tulare 
marshes,  broke  up  my  hunting  on  the  San  Joaquin 
side  of  the  mountains ;   and  I  determined  at  once  to 


350  THE   TEJON. 

cross  over  to  the  Colorado  side.  I  was  the  more 
induced  to  do  this,  by  news  which  reached  me  of  the 
conduct  of  Drury,  whom  I  had  sent  to  the  Tejon  for 
quinine,  as  before  stated.  The  idle  fellow,  upon 
reaching  the  settlement,  had  fallen  in  with  certain 
Spanish  women  and  Indian  squaws,  and,  without  a 
thought  of  his  duty,  spent  the  money  I  had  commit- 
ted to  him,  for  licjuor,  and  gave  himself  up  to  all 
kinds  of  vice  and  immorality.  This  news  gave  me 
great  uneasiness,  showing  how  utterly  worthless  he 
was,  and  how  impossible  it  was  to  place  any  confi- 
dence in  him;  though  I  had  cause  to  expect  nothing 
better  from  his  conduct,  upon  setting  out,  in  the 
spring,  from  Corral  Hollow. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  previous  to  my  intended 
departure,  as  I  sat  crouching  over  my  camp  fire,  read- 
ing those  strange  fancies  which  appear  to  spring  out  of 
the  changing  hues  of  burning  coals,  I  was  unexpect- 
edly aroused  by  the  appearance  of  the  fellow  coming 
back.  He  saluted  me  as  if  nothing  had  happened, 
and  I  returned  his  greetings;  but  my  manner  was 
certainly  not  very  gracious.  He  noticed  this,  and, 
seeing  me  not  so  communicative  as  usual,  volunteered 
a  pitiful  story  about  having  lost  his  mule  at  the  settle- 
ment, and  the  great  trouble  he  had  been  at  to  regain 
it.  This  falsehood  was  merely  adding  insult  to  in- 
jury; and,  turning  towards  him,  I  recalled  his  beastly 
conduct  in  the  commencement  of  the  campaign,  and 
accused  him  of  a  repetition  of  it.  I  made  use  of 
the  information  I  had  gained  from  others,  of  his 
conduct  at  the  Tejon,  to  confound  him;   and  he  soon 


THE   TEJON.  351 

stood  abashed  and  ashamed.  Had  it  not  been  inhu- 
man to  dismiss  him  in  so  wild  a  place,  I  should  at 
once  have  sent  him  off;  but,  as  it  was,  he  was  allowed 
to  remain. 

The  next  day,  we  packed  up  and  started  oflf  into  the 
mountains;  and,  after  several  days  of  travelling  over 
a  rough  country  of  cliffs,  ledges,  and  rocky  places, 
arrived  at  the  mouth  of  a  gorge  on  the  southern  slope 
of  the  mountains.  In  the  upper  part  of  this  gorge 
there  was  a  spring,  but  the  place  was  too  rough  to 
reach  it  with  our  wagon;  and  we  were  therefore  con- 
strained to  leave  it  below,  and  pack  our  goods  up 
to  the  spring,  where  we  pitched  our  general  camp. 
From  this  point  the  Great  Basin,  like  a  sandy  sea, 
was  seen  lying  at  our  feet;  and,  from  our  height,  we 
could  look  out  over  the  dreary,  desert  expanse,  with 
the  feelings  of  men  who  view  the  ocean,  —  knowing 
that  but  a  fraction  was  seen,  and  that  uncounted  miles 
lay  beyond,  with  their  curious  and  strange  wonders. 

We  were  weary  with  the  labors  of  the  day,  and 
turning  into  our  blankets  early,  fell  into  a  deep  sleep. 
I  was  suddenly  aroused  at  midnight  by  a  fearful  snuff- 
ing and  snorting  among  my  animals;  but  what  to 
make  of  the  noise  I  knew  not,  except  that  there  was 
danger  at  hand.  It  was  starlight,  but  too  dark  to 
see;  and  raising  myself  in  my  blankets  and  seizing 
my  rifle,  I  listened  with  all  attention.  In  a  short 
time,  I  distinctly  heard  the  lapping  of  water  at  the 
spring,  which  was  about  fifty  yards  distant;  and, 
looking  in  that  direction,  beheld  two  spots,  like  balls 
of  fire,  glaring  at  me.     I  expected  an  encounter,  and 


352  THE   TEJON. 

prepared  myself  for  it;  but  the  stranger  beast  unex- 
pectedly, after  uttering  a  low  growl,  turned  and  lei- 
surely retreated,  as  if  he  did  not  deign  to  attack, 
much  less  to  fear  me.  I  could  see  that  he  was  of 
large  size,  —  a  majestic  animal  of  the  lion  genus;  but 
this  was  all  I  could  see. 


EAS1.„^„-L„.,„S 


THE  JAGUAR. 


JAGUARS.  353 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

JAGUARS. 

Excitement  of  my  Imagination.  Following  the  Track.  Discovery  of 
the  Den.  Appearance  of  the  Den.  My  Plan  of  Attack.  The  Coun- 
try round  about.  Mountain  Sheep.  Watchfulness  of  Mountain 
Sheep.  Attack  upon  them.  Its  Result.  Coyotes  upon  my  Track. 
A  Coyote  summarily  disposed  of  by  Ben  and  Rambler.  Search  for 
Timber.  Packing  Timber  up  the  Mountains.  Horseback,  Mule- 
back,  and  Bearback.  Commence  Trap-building  in  the  Gorge.  A 
Roar  at  Night.  Indications  of  a  strange  Animal.  Progress  and 
Completion  of  the  Trap.  On  watch  with  Lady  Washington,  Ben, 
and  Rambler.  The  Roar  again.  Spotted  Animals  of  the  Tiger 
kind.  A  lordly  Voice.  Movements  of  the  Animals.  Construction 
of  a  Pit-fall.  View  of  the  Animals.  Conjugal  Attentions.  Love 
throughout  the  Animal  Creation.  Characteristics  of  the  Ani- 
mals. Their  Sagacity.  Avoidance  of  the  Snares.  My  Ill-success. 
Worsted  in  a  Fight.     Jaguars. 

My  curiosity,  as  well  as  my  love  of  adventure,  was 
so  much  excited  by  the  sight  of  the  magnificent  but 
unknown  beast,  that  during  the  remainder  of  the 
night  I  could  think  of  nothing  else.  My  imagination 
presented  me  with  the  picture  of  an  animal  whose 
capture  would  exceed  in  interest  all  the  adventures  of 
my  previous  days;  and  no  sooner  was  it  light  in  the 
morning  than  I  started  out  with  Ben  and  Rambler  to 
follow  the  track  and  reconnoitre  the  country.  The 
trail  led  us  four  or  five  miles  over  a  rough  country, 
and  at  last  into  a  gorge,  —  one  of  the  roughest  and 
craggiest  places  man's  eyes  ever  beheld.  The  only 
way  I  could  work  through  it,  was  by  crawling,  clam- 


354  JAGUARS. 

boring,  climbing,  and  pulling  myself  from  cliff  to  cliff, 
and  thus  getting  along  by  slow  degrees.  In  among 
the  huge  rocks,  which  were  scattered  all  over  the 
country,  there  was  here  and  there  a  space  of  soft 
earth,  where  the  prints  of  the  animal's  feet  were 
plainly  to  be  seen;  and  it  was  by  these  marks  that  I 
pursued  the  trail  into  the  gorge.  Here  the  marks 
were  better  defined;  and  after  following  them  across 
the  gorge  up  to  the  face  of  a  ledge  of  rocks,  I  came 
to  a  cave,  which  there  was  no  difficulty  in  recognizing 
as  the  den  of  the  animal. 

The  cave  was  elevated  on  one  side  of  the  cliff,  so 
that  a  man  could  with  difficulty  reach  it.  In  its 
mouth,  and  scattered  below  it,  were  multitudes  of 
bones  and  skeletons  of  various  kinds  of  animals,  and 
among  others,  of  mountain  sheep,  making  the  place 
look  like  the  yard  of  a  slaughter-house.  I  endeav- 
ored to  reach  the  cave  for  the  purpose  of  looking  into 
it,  but  was  unable  to  do  so,  and  therefore  withdrew  to 
consider  plans  for  operations,  determined  as  I  was  to 
leave  no  stone  unturned  in  my  efforts  to  secure  the 
unknown  but  evidently  ferocious  animal  which  made 
it  his  haunt.  Considering  the  matter  in  every  point 
of  view,  I  resolved  at  last  to  build  a  trap  on  the  trail, 
near  the  den;  but,  there  being  no  trees  in  the  neigh- 
oorhood,  before  proceeding  farther  I  had  to  go  out 
and  search  where  I  could  find  timber. 

The  country  in  the  vicinity  was  the  roughest  that 
can  well  be  conceived;  and  it  was  only  with  great 
labor  that  I  was  enabled  to  climb  the  side  of  the 
t^orge,  and  pass  along  the   ridge  which  separated   it 


JAGUARS.  355 

from  another  of  much  the  same  character.  After 
travelling  a  few  miles,  however,  I  saw,  at  the  distance 
of  four  or  five  miles  farther  on,  a  valley  containing 
trees;  but  as  the  sun  was  now  declining,  I  did  not 
visit  it  this  evening.  Turning  back  towards  camp,  on 
the  contrary,  with  the  intention  of  taking  the  next 
day  for  visiting  the  wood,  I  proceeded  over  the  ledges 
for  some  distance,  and  suddenly  came  in  sight  of  a 
flock  of  forty  or  fifty  mountain  sheep,  which  were 
grazing  on  the  scanty  herbage  of  the  cliffs.  They 
were  very  wary,  constantly  keeping  their  eyes  about 
them.  While  feeding,  they  would  slap  their  heads 
down,  pick  up  a  bunch  of  grass,  and  then  look  around 
as  they  were  chewing;  and  thus  they  seemed  to  be 
continually  on  the  look-out.  As  there  was  a  number 
of  them,  some  heads  would  be  up  at  every  minute,  so 
that  it  required  the  greatest  care  not  to  alarm  them. 
With  extreme  caution  I  managed  to  creep  upon  them, 
and  taking  two  in  range,  fired.  My  rifle  had  been 
loaded  heavily,  in  expectation  of  larger  game,  and  the 
ball  passed  through  the  heart  of  one  sheep  into  the 
neck  of  the  other;  so  that  I  got  two  with  one  bullet. 
The  remainder  of  the  flock  of  course  scampered  off 
at  the  fire;  and  as  it  w^as  impossible  to  pursue  and 
keep  up  over  the  rocks,  I  did  not  attempt  it. 

After  dressing  the  meat  of  those  I  had,  I  took  one 
hind-quarter  on  my  shoulder,  and  proceeded  towards 
camp.  It  w^as  now  dark,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few 
miles  I  was  startled  by  the  howl  of  coyotes,  which 
were  attracted  by  the  smell  of  the  meat,  and  pursued 
me.     Ben  and  Rambler,  who  during  the  whole  time 


356  JAGUARS, 

had  faithfully  followed  my  footsteps,  wished  to  turn 
back  and  fight  when  the  coyotes  opened  on  the  trail, 
but  for  some  distance  I  would  not  allow  it.  The  coy- 
otes, however,  became  very  saucy  and  impudent,  and 
at  last  approached  very  near,  when  I  gave  the  word  to 
the  bear  and  dog,  and  they  turned  in  a  moment  upon 
the  pursuers.  They  both  seized  upon  the  most  for- 
ward coyote,  and  in  a  few  minutes  tore  him  to  pieces, 
while  the  remainder  of  the  cowardly  pack  ran  off,  and 
we  went  the  rest  of  the  way  undisturbed. 

The  next  day  I  explored  the  country  farther,  and 
visited  the  timber  which  I  had  seen  the  day  previous, 
where  I  found  good  grass  and  water.  I  at  once  de- 
termined to  remove  my  camp  to  that  place,  and  ac- 
cordingly did  so,  although  it  was  eight  or  ten  miles 
from  the  den  of  the  beast,  with  which  my  imagination 
was  now  filled.  As,  however,  it  was  the  nearest  tim- 
ber to  the  cave,  there  was  no  other  way  than  to  cut 
the  logs  for  our  trap  there,  and  transport  them  the 
best  way  we  could;  and,  accordingly,  going  to  work, 
we  cut  a  number  of  cotton  wood  logs,  which  were 
light,  but  at  the  same  time  sufficiently  strong  for 
our  purpose.  When  we  had  enough  to  pack  the  two 
horses,  two  mules,  and  Lady  Washington,  —  the  sticks 
being  about  ten  feet  long,  and  six  or  eight  inches 
thick,  —  I  fastened  two  on  each  side  of  each  horse  and 
mule,  and  one  on  each  side  of  the  bear, —  the  logs  being 
tied  to  the  saddles  at  one  end,  and  the  farther  ends 
dragging  on  the  ground.  With  this  singular  looking 
caravan,  followed  by  Ben  and  Rambler,  we  proceeded 
up  the  heights  towards  the  den. 


JAGUARS.  357 

ISIost  of  the  way  was  very  rough  and  uphill,  and  it 
took  (juite  half  a  day  to  reach  the  spot  pitched  upon 
for  the  trap,  which  was  a  small  rocky  rise  in  the  midst 
of  the  gorge,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  cave. 
At  the  same  time  I  took  up  my  tools,  as  it  was  my 
intention  to  commence  the  work  immediately;  and  as 
soon  as  the  animals  were  unloaded,  I  sent  Drury  back 
with  them  to  cut  more  timber,  and  bring  it  up  next 
day  in  the  same  manner.  The  bears  and  dog  I  kept 
with  me,  and  they  were  good  company  as  I  worked 
upon  the  timbers  in  that  wild  and  lonely  region. 

Upon  the  approach  of  night,  I  picked  out  a  spot  to 
sleep,  but  did  not  allow  myself  a  fire,  for  fear  of  dis- 
turbing the  game.  I  went  to  sleep,  but  in  the  course 
of  the  night  was  aroused  by  a  roar,  which  I  supposed 
to  be  that  of  the  beast  which  I  was  hunting;  it  was 
loud  but  clear,  short  but  piercing,  different  from  any 
roar  I  had  ever  heard;  and,  as  a  new  fact  in  regard 
to  the  beast,  it  added  to  my  wonder,  for  I  had  already 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  animal  was  of  a  differ- 
ent species  from  any  I  had  ever  known.  The  track 
was  peculiarly  large  and  firm,  indicating  an  animal  of 
great  strength  and  noble  bearing. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  detail  day  after  day  the  prog- 
ress of  my  trap  building  here,  and  the  slow  and  tedious 
manner  in  which  we  had  to  transport  our  timber  from 
a  distance  of  eight  miles.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the 
arduous  undertaking  w^as  at  length  accomplished,  and 
the  trap  completed.  No  sooner  was  it  finished  and 
baited,  than  I  picked  out  a  hiding-place,  about  three 
hundred  yards  from  the  cave,  and  in  such  a  position 


358  JAGUARS. 

that  I  could  see  the  length  of  the  trail,  the  trap,  and 
the  den;  such  a  place,  indeed,  as  would  give  me  a 
full  and  fair  view  of  all  that  took  place  in  the  gorge. 
Taking  Lady  Washington,  Ben,  and  Rambler  to  this 
place,  I  tied  them  together,  and  seating  myself  at  the 
side  of  them  with  my  blanket  about  me,  I  determined 
to  watch  the  first  night  and  see  how  the  trap  would 
work. 

There  was  at  this  time  a  new  moon,  and  the  gorge, 
a  doleful  place  even  in  daylight,  was  darker  than  I 
liked;  nevertheless,  I  could  see  if  any  animal  passed 
the  trail,  and  this  would  be  some  satisfaction.  I  there- 
fore watched  the  twilight  passing  over  the  mountains, 
and  saw  it  grow  dusky,  and  at  length  dark,  when, 
overpowered  by  the  fatigues  of  the  day,  I  curled 
down  by  the  side  of  Ben,  and  fell  into  a  slumber. 
Barely  were  my  eyes  closed,  however,  when  a  roar 
roused  me,  and  I  started  up  and  strained  my  eyes 
along  the  trail  from  the  den  to  the  trap,  but  could  see 
nothing.  In  a  few  minutes  the  roar  was  repeated, 
but  in  an  apparently  subdued  tone;  and  directing  my 
eyes  in  the  direction  from  which  it  proceeded,  I  saw 
a  spotted  animal,  resembling  a  tiger  in  size  and  form, 
with  two  young  ones.  The  view  was  very  indistinct, 
but  I  could  see  that  the  animal  was  crawling  out  of 
the  rocks.  She  went  ahead  for  a  little  distance,  then 
turned  around,  and  appeared  to  call  the  little  ones, 
which  followed,  playing  like  kittens.  My  first  thought 
was  to  kill  her  and  catch  the  young;  —  and  I  have 
often  regretted  since  that  I  did  not  take  the  risks  and 
fire;    but  I  considered  that  the  trap  which  we  had 


JAGUARS.  359 

built,  would  be  both  a  safer  and  a  more  certain 
method  to  secure  them. 

Remaining  silent,  therefore,  I  watched  the  beasts 
disappear  in  the  darkness,  and  neither  saw  nor  heard 
anything  more  of  them  till  near  morning,  when  I  was 
aroused  by  the  same  masculine  roar,  which  I  had 
heard  two  or  three  nights  before.  I  recognized  it  im- 
mediately, and  strained  my  eyes  to  see  the  possessor 
of  that  lordly  voice.  It  was,  however,  so  dark  that  I 
could  not  see,  though  I  distinctly  heard  the  tramp  of 
the  beast;  and  it  seemed  that  he  was  accompanied 
by  his  consort  and  the  young  ones,  which  I  had  seen 
in  the  evening.  It  was  evident  to  me  that  they  had 
passed  near  the  trap,  but  they  had  not  entered  it; 
and  on  examining  the  tracks  in  the  daytime,  I  found 
that  they  had  passed  around  it. 

Seeing  thus  that  the  trap  had  been  passed  by,  I 
determined  to  dig  a  pit  with  a  falling  door;  and,  ac- 
cordingly, going  to  work,  in  the  course  of  a  few  days 
we  completed  such  a  trap,  eight  feet  long,  six  feet 
broad,  and  ten  feet  deep;  and  fixed  a  door  over  it, 
swung  upon  an  axle  in  such  a  manner  as  to  turn  and 
drop  any  animal,  that  trod  upon  it,  into  the  pit.  The 
door  was  covered  over  with  dirt,  grass,  and  leaves  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  resemble  the  ground  about  it; 
so  that  I  supposed  it  would  be  impossible  for  an 
animal  to  detect  the  deception.  I  then  hung  a  piece 
of  raw  mutton  over  the  door,  and  retired  to  my  place 
of  concealment,  to  watch  during  the  night,  as  usual. 

Soon  after  dark  the  male  animal  again  made  his  ap- 
pearance.    As  he  came  to  the  mouth  of  the  den,  he 


360  JAGUARS. 

looked  .around  and  snuffed  the  air,  and  then  leaped 
down,  and  going  a  few  yards  placed  his  paws  upoo  a 
rock,  and  stretched  himself,  yawning  at  the  same 
time  as  if  he  were  waking  up  out  of  a  sleep.  In  a 
few  minutes  afterwards  the  female  appeared,  and  ap- 
proaching, lapped  his  brawny  neck.  Pleased  with 
this  conjugal  attention,  the  male  threw  himself  upon 
the  ground,  and  after  rolling  for  a  few  minutes,  stood 
up,  shook  himself,  and  then,  with  a  proud  step,  trod 
away  towards  the  traps;  and  his  consort  followed  him. 
Their  manner  towards  each  other  induced  the  reflection 
in  my  mind,  that  nature  works  much  the  same  in  all 
species  of  animals;  for  even  among  human  beings, 
I  had  rarely  seen  a  more  expressive  indication  of  con- 
jugal love  than  was  exhibited  here. 

The  male  beast,  as  nearly  as  I  could  see,  was  twice 
as  large  as  the  ordinary  cougar,  and  appeared  to  be 
covered  with  dark  round  spots  of  great  richness  and 
beauty.  His  mien  was  erect  and  stately,  and  so 
majestic  and  proud  in  bearing,  that  it  was  with  pleas- 
ure I  contemplated  him.  As  he  approached  the  pit, 
my  heart  fluttered;  now,  thought  I,  is  the  time  of  my 
success;  but,  alas,  for  my  hopes!  the  animals,  when 
they  reached  the  place,  evidently  suspected  something 
wrong;  and,  after  smelling  about  suspiciously,  made 
a  circuit  and  passed  on.  They  next  stopped  at  the 
trap,  which  they  appeared  to  examine  attentively; 
they  even  entered  it,  and  I  strained  my  eyes  to  see 
the  doors  fall;  but  no,  alas,  for  my  hopes  again!  the 
animals  came  out  and  went  off,  without  disturbing  the 
bait,  and  soon  disappeared  over  the  ridge.     I  watched 


JAGUARS.  361 

the  remainder  of  the  night,  but  neither  saw  nor  heard 
anything  more  of  the  beasts. 

For  several  weeks  after  this  time,  I  continued  mak- 
ing all  endeavors  to  trap  these  animals.  I  caught 
live  bait,  and  tried  to  inveigle  them  with  the  choicest 
morsels,  but  all  in  vain.  On  several  occasions,  subse- 
quent to  those  mentioned,  I  obtained  a  sight  of  the 
animals,  but  only  a  passing  one;  and  at  last,  confi- 
dent that  it  would  be  impossible  to  trap  them,  I  de- 
termined on  the  first  opportunity  to  shoot.  The  male 
I  never  afterwards  saw;  but  the  female  and  her  cubs 
I  unexpectedly  came  across  one  day,  in  a  gorge  far 
removed  from  the  one  containing  the  den.  Ben  and 
Rambler  were  with  me  at  the  time;  and,  as  I  fired 
upon  her,  they  bounded  forward  and  engaged  with 
her  in  a  terrific  combat,  but  she  tore  them  dreadfully, 
and  managed  to  escape.  Poor  Ben  was  so  badly  in- 
jured in  the  encounter,  as  to  require  my  surgical  care 
and  assistance  for  a  week  or  more  afterwards;  but, 
though  I  hunted  and  hunted,  I  could  find  no  more 
trace  of  the  beasts,  or  of  any  animals  like  them.  I 
was,  therefore,  not  able  then,  nor  am  I  able  now,  to 
pronounce  with  certainty  upon  their  character.  If 
they  were  not  jaguars,  which  had  strayed  up  beyond 
the  usual  range,  I  know  not  what  to  call  them. 


362      THE   COAST   RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE   COAST   RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION. 

Returning  to  Winter-quarters.  Mustang  Country.  Loss  of  my  Horses. 
Despondency.  Dependence  on  my  Mules.  Mustang  Hunting. 
Horse  Flesh.  Travel.  Moonlight  View  on  the  Salinas  River. 
Imprudence.  An  Upset.  Further  Imprudence.  Stalled  in  the 
Quicksands.  Packing  ashore.  Amusement  of  the  People.  In- 
terest in  the  Animals.  Progress.  The  Animals.  Consideration 
for  Dog-fanciers.  Another  Upset.  Injuries  to  Animals.  Repair 
of  Damages.  On  the  Way  again.  A  Grizzly-troubled  Ranch. 
Indications  of  a  huge  Bear.  My  Preparations  for  an  Attack.  On 
the  Watch  with  Ben  and  Rambler.  Appearance  of  the  Bear.  Zeal 
of  Ben  and  Rambler.  Our  Attack  upon  the  Bear.  The  Combat. 
Death  of  the  Enemy.  Delight  of  the  Spaniards.  Heroism  now-a- 
days.  Arrival  at  San  Jos^.  Exhibitions.  The  Pacific  Museum. 
My  Animals  around  me.  Recollections  of  my  Adventures.  The 
End.     My  last  Wish. 

The  fall  now  approached,  and  the  rains  might  soon 
be  expected,  so  that  we  prepared  to  return  to  winter- 
quarters,  either  in  Corral  Hollow,  or  in  my  favorite 
ground  in  the  Sierra  Nevada.  Accordingly,  gather- 
ing up  and  packing  our  animals,  we  hitched  up  our 
wagon,  and  took  the  road  over  the  mountains  back  to 
the  Tejon,  and  thence  to  the  west  of  Kern  Lake,  in- 
tending to  take  the  west  side  of  the  Coast  Range  of 
mountains  on  our  way  back. 

In  a  day  or  two  after  leaving  the  Tejon,  we  came 
to  a  camp  of  persons  engaged  in  catching  mustang 
horses,  —  multitudes  of  which  covered  the  country  in 
all  directions.  Here,  unfortunately,  during  my  ab- 
sence  hunting  in   the  neighborhood,   Drury  allowed 


THE    COAST    RANGE    AGAIN — CONCLUSION.  363 

my  two  horses  to  break  away  and  get  among  the  mus- 
tangs. I  knew  it  was  doubtful  whether  I  would  ever 
recover  them  again ;  and  the  most  desponding  thoughts 
took  possession  of  me  for  a  while.  I  could  expect 
nothing  better  of  the  fellow;  but  to  think  that  I  had 
passed  through  so  much,  and  to  lose  them  at  last 
under  such  circumstances,  appeared  to  me  a  peculiar 
hardship;  and  for  several  days  I  was  morose  to  the 
last  degree.  However,  I  searched  the  country  far 
and  near,  and  used  every  possible  exertion  to  recover 
them,  but  all  to  no  purpose;  I  could  neither  see  nor 
find  a  trace  of  them,  and  at  length  gave  them  up 
and  turned  my  hope  and  trust  to  the  mules,  —  those 
patient  animals  which  had  stood  by  me  so  long. 

While  in  this  country,  I  made  several  excursions 
after  mustangs,  and  succeeded  in  shooting  a  number. 
They  were  small,  but  in  good  condition,  and  their 
flesh  made  very  good  eating;  indeed,  many  an  excel- 
lent steak  of  horseflesh  have  I  enjoyed.  I  also  dried 
a  quantity  of  it  for  provisions  upon  my  travel.  After 
thus  preparing  ourselves,  finding  that  our  horses  were 
irretrievably  gone,  we  struck  towards  the  mountains, 
with  the  mules  alone  attached  to  the  wagon;  and, 
travelling  among  them  for  five  or  six  days,  we  came 
to  the  neighborhood  of  the  mission  of  San  Miguel,  on 
the  Salinas  River.  It  was  moonlight  when  we  came 
in  sight  of  the  village,  which  we  saw  lying  about  a 
mile  below  us,  with  the  shining  stream  not  far  off; 
all  presenting  a  peaceful  moonlight  picture  of  great 
beauty. 

It   was   certainly   imprudent   in   us   to   attempt   to 


364      THE   COAST    RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION. 

descend  so  steep  a  hill,  as  that  upon  which  we  ap- 
proached the  place,  in  the  night  time;  but  we  wished 
to  reach  the  river  bank,  and  determined  to  try  it. 
As  we  might  have  expected,  notwithstanding  all  our 
precautions,  and  Drury's  hanging  to  a  hind  wheel,  we 
had  not  got  more  than  half  way  down,  when  over 
went  wagon,  mules,  bears,  Drury,  and  all,  tumbling 
everything  helter-skelter;  but,  fortunately,  injuring 
nothing  seriously.  It  had  been  my  luck  to  be  upset 
more  than  once  before;  and  I  may  say  that  I  was 
used  to  it.  Without  delay,  therefore,  I  went  indus- 
triously to  work,  and  gathered  up  the  scattered  arti- 
cles and  the  frightened  animals;  and  towards  morn- 
ing, having  again  got  in  travelling  plight,  pushed  on 
to  the  river.  The  stream  seemed  shallow,  and  I 
thought  I  might  as  well  cross  and  camp  on  the  far- 
ther side;  but,  as  it  happened,  we  got  into  sand  in 
the  river,  and,  as  I  foolishly  stopped  to  allow  the 
mules  to  drink,  the  wagon  wheels  sank.  When  I 
urged  the  mules  on  again,  I  found  that  we  were  not 
only  fast,  but  that  the  wheels  had  sunk  over  their 
hubs.  There  was  no  use  geeing  and  hawing;  and, 
in  fine,  all  that  could  be  done  was  to  unhitch,  drive 
the  mules  out,  and  carry  the  animals  and  goods  to 
shore  the  best  way  we  could.  Luck  seemed  to  be 
against  us;  but  we  worked  on  in  spite  of  it,  and  suc- 
ceeded, by  dawn,  in  getting  everything  ashore  but 
the  wagon.  Leaving  that  to  take  care  of  itself  in 
the  river,  being  very  tired,  we  rolled  ourselves  in 
our  blankets,  and,  weary  and  wayworn,  soon  fell 
asleep. 


THE    COAST    RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION.       3G5 

As  the  day  advanced,  the  people  of  the  mission 
beheld  the  curious  spectacle  we  presented;  and  we 
were  roused,  after  a  few  hours'  sleep,  by  a  troop  of 
Spaniards  and  others,  who  came  up  laughing  and 
making  merry  over  our  misfortune.  We  were  well 
chastened  by  this  time,  and  bore  their  sport  with 
patience;  indeed,  we  joined  in  the  laugh,  which  was 
a  good-natured  one.  When  it  was  over,  the  people 
offered  to  help  us;  and,  with  their  aid  and  that  of 
several  horses,  we  pulled  our  wagon  out  of  the  sands, 
and  soon  had  it  packed  again.  The  people  viewed 
my  curiosities,  and  particularly  the  bears,  with  the 
liveliest  interest,  and  seemed  so  much  pleased  that 
they  invited  me  to  dine  with  them.  I  would  fain 
have  eaten  a  civilized  dinner,  just  for  a  change,  but 
my  expedition  had  left  my  garments  in  a  rather  un- 
presentable condition.  I  had  therefore,  on  account 
of  the  shabbiness  of  my  dress,  to  decline  their  gen- 
erous offer,  —  and  drove  on. 

On  my  way  through  the  settled  portions  of  the 
country,  the  people  all  expressed  great  curiosity  to 
see  my  animals,  and  gave  me  milk  to  feed  the  small 
ones.  For  some  reason  or  other,  however,  this  diet 
did  not  suit  them,  and  several  died.  As  for  the  Lady 
and  Ben  and  Rambler,  they  thrived  well  all  the  way. 
I  allowed  them  to  follow  me  at  liberty  a  portion  of  the 
road,  until  we  came  in  neighborhoods  where  dogs 
were  kept,  when  I  found  it  prudent  to  tie  them  up. 
This  I  did,  not  for  their  own  protection,  as  they  could 
vanquish  any  number  of  dogs,  but  to  prevent  difficul- 
ties with  dog-fanciers,  that  irritable  class  of  individ- 


SGG      THE   COAST   RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION. 

uals,  who  are  often  more  ready  to  fight  for  an  affront 
to  their  puppies  than  for  an  insult  to  themselves. 

We  travelled  on  thus  for  several  days,  and  at  last 
came  to  a  sideling  hill  which  skirted  the  river.  While 
passing  this  place,  one  of  the  mules  balked,  and  sud- 
denly wheeling  down  hill,  we  toppled  on  the  brink.  I 
saw  in  an  instant  that  we  must  go  over;  and,  drop- 
ping the  reins,  I  jumped  out  in  time  to  save  myself; 
but  the  wagon  tumbled  on  the  mules,  and  then  down 
into  the  river,  making  an  almost  perfect  wreck,  break- 
ing the  bed  and  tongue  in  several  places,  killing  a 
young  deer  and  elk,  fracturing  the  leg  of  a  small 
bear,  and  severely  injuring  one  of  the  mules,  which  it 
dragged  down  with  it.  Here  again  was  I  the  victim 
of  misfortune;  it  seemed  truly  as  if  only  bad  luck 
was  in  store  for  me;  and  had  it  not  been  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  preservation  of  my  animals  to  exert 
myself  with  vigor,  I  should  have  been  discouraged; 
but,  as  had  happened  twice  before,  we  soon  began 
getting  the  animals  together,  gathering  up  our  scat- 
tered luggage,  and  repairing  damages  to  the  best  of 
our  ability. 

After  making  a  new  tongue,  mending  the  bed,  and 
repacking  the  wagon,  we  drove  on  upon  the  main 
road  towards  San  Jose.  The  injured  mule,  however, 
was  so  lame,  that  our  progress  was  very  slow,  and  we 
felt  compelled  to  stop  at  the  first  ranch  we  came  to, 
where  I  determined  to  lay  over  for  a  few  days  to 
recuperate.  At  this  place,  as  it  happened,  the  ran- 
chero  complained  that  he  was  greatly  troubled  by  a 
grizzly  bear  that  killed  his  calves;   and  he  desired  to 


THE   COAST    RANGE    AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION.       367 

know  of  me  whether  I  could  help  hiin.  I  replied  that 
I  would  gladly  undertake  to  rid  him  of  the  trouble- 
some visitor;  and  we  forthwith  proceeded  to  the  cor- 
ral, or  cattle-pen,  where  he  showed  me  the  body  of  a 
calf  which  had  been  killed  by  the  grizzly  the  previous 
night.  Upon  inspecting  the  tracks  about  the  place, 
1  found  unmistakable  evidences  that  the  bear  was  a 
large  one,  not  unworthy  the  honor  of  a  meeting;  and 
forthwith  I  made  arrangements  for  an  encounter  with 
him. 

The  corral  was  a  pen  about  five  feet  high,  made  of 
perpendicular  wooden  stakes,  which  were  driven  firm- 
ly into  the  ground,  and  lashed  together  with  raw-hide 
strips;  and  it  w^as  in  this  enclosure  that  the  calf  lay. 
I  directed  the  other  calves  and  cattle  to  be  driven 
out,  so  as  to  leave  the  body  of  the  calf  there  alone, 
and,  when  evening  came  on,  all  the  dogs  about  the 
place  to  be  tied  up,  and  the  Spaniards  to  retire  to 
their  beds.  As  it  grew  dusk,  I  concealed  myself, 
with  Ben  and  Rambler,  in  a  pile  of  logs  near  the  cor- 
ral, and  commenced  my  watch. 

It  was  a  beautiful  moonlight  night,  and  I  could  per- 
ceive with  considerable  distinctness  for  some  distance. 
I  think  it  must  have  been  about  ten  o'clock  when  the 
bear  made  his  appearance.  His  step  was  bold  and 
apparently  fearless;  but  as  he  approached  the  corral, 
he  raised  his  head  and  snuffed  the  air  a  number  of 
times.  For  a  few  moments  I  supposed  that  he  per- 
ceived us,  but  it  soon  appeared  that  he  did  not;  for, 
approaching  the  side  of  the  corral,  he  leaped  over  it 
without  suspicion.     As  he  went  over,  which  he  did 


368      THE   COAST    RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION. 

with  great  ease,  I  could  plainly  see  that  he  was  a  very 
large  animal,  and  that  it  was  going  to  be  a  triumph 
to  kill  him.  I  might  have  shot  him  as  he  went  over; 
but  it  struck  me  as  more  prudent  to  let  him  fill  him- 
self first.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  I  could  restrain 
Ben  and  the  hound;  for,  not  having  had  a  fight  for 
some  time,  they  were  almost  crazy  to  engage;  but  I 
kept  them  back;  and  the  bear,  being  busy  with  his 
meal,  did  not  observe  our  neighborhood. 

As  soon  as  I  supposed  he  had  eaten  enough,  I 
crept  forward  to  the  side  of  the  corral;  and,  placing 
my  rifle  over  the  edge  and  taking  fair  aim  at  his 
shoulder,  I  fired.  He  fell,  and  upon  my  calling  to  Ben 
and  Rambler,  in  an  instant,  they  leaped  the  enclosure 
and  were  upon  him.  They  all  rolled  and  scrabbled 
together;  and  as  soon  as  I  could  get  a  second  load 
down  my  rifle,  I  sprang  forward,  and  watching  my 
opportunity,  gave  the  old  brute  another  ball,  which, 
however,  did  not  yet  kill.  Meanwhile  the  noise,  which 
was  terrific,  aroused  the  Spaniard  and  all  his  house- 
hold; and  they  all  came  running  out  with  their  dogs; 
but  I  peremptorily  ordered  them  all  back,  and  again 
turned  to  the  scene  before  me.  The  wounded  brute 
now  had  the  hound  in  his  mouth  and  was  shaking  him 
dreadfully,  while  Ben  was  doing  his  best  to  attract 
the  enemy  to  himself.  I  at  once  jumped  over  into 
the  corral,  and  rushing  up,  buried  my  knife  in  the 
brute's  neck;  when,  dropping  the  dog,  he  turned  upon 
me  and  tore  my  buckskins;  but  that  was  all  the 
damage,  for  Ben,  noble  Ben,  now  redoubled  his  ener- 
gies and  drew  the  beast's  attention  from  me.     As  he 


THE    COAST    RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION.       369 

turned  to  Ben,  I  made  several  blows  with  my  knife 
behind  his  shoulder,  and  in  a  few  moments  rolled  him 
over  as  dead  as  his  worst  foe  could  have  desired. 

As  soon  as  he  expired,  I  called  the  Spaniards  to 
see  the  individual  that  had  been  killing  their  calves; 
and,  as  they  looked  at  him  and  then  at  me,  they 
exclaimed,  Mucho  hueno  Americano,  —  being  highly 
delighted  with  the  death  of  what  they  styled  the 
infernal  calf-killer.  As  the  story  of  the  exploit  got 
noised  about,  I  felt  myself  elevated  into  a  personage  of 
considerable  importance  among  the  rancheros  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  might  have  sported  it  in  the  region 
as  a  hero  of  the  Hercules  type;  but  playing  the  hero 
of  this  kind  is  out  of  fashion  now-a-days,  and,  to  use 
a  homely  but  expressive  phrase,  "will  not  pay." 

In  a  few  days  after  the  above  incident,  which  was 
the  last  of  what  I  call  my  adventures,  we  hitched  up 
again  and  proceeded  to  San  Jose,  at  which  place  I 
began  to  give  exhibitions.  Thence  I  went  to  Santa 
Clara,  thence  to  the  Red  Woods,  and  from  there  came 
to  San  Francisco,  where,  in  the  course  of  the  next 
year,  I  established  the  Pacific  jNIuseum.  I  have  by 
degrees  gathered  all  my  animals  together,  and  have 
them  now,  a  goodly  company,  about  me.  As  I  look 
around  upon  them  I  am  reminded  of  the  freshness 
and  freedom  of  the  forests,  and  live  over  again  in 
imagination  the  golden  days  when  I  trod,  in  pleasure 
and  in  joy,  upon  the  mountain  side.  Lady  Washing- 
ton, Ben  Franklin,  —  noble  Ben,  and  his  foster-brother 
Rambler;  they  are  all  here.  The  monster  who  rat- 
tles his  chain  in  the  cage  yonder,  and  fairly  shakes 


370       THE    COAST    RANGE   AGAIN  —  CONCLUSION. 

the  building,  is  Samson;  and  the  white-coated  rogue 
by  the  side  of  the  Indian  dog  is  Funny  Joe.  The 
bhick  and  cinnamon  bears,  the  panthers,  wolves, 
foxes,  wild  cats,  elks,  deer,  and  other  animals  ranged 
around,  all  these  I  have  sufficiently  spoken  of  before; 
each  recalls  its  own  special  adventure;  and  what 
there  is  of  pleasure  in  reviewing  an  active  career,  in 
which  I  can  recollect  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of,  that 
I  enjoy. 

As  I  come  to  the  end  of  my  book,  I  cannot  but 
reflect  that  my  life  likewise  approaches  its  close.  I 
have  looked  on  death  in  many  forms,  and  trust  that  I 
can  meet  it  whenever  it  comes  with  a  stout  heart  and 
steady  nerves.  If  I  could  choose,  I  would  wish, 
since  it  was  my  destiny  to  become  a  mountaineer  and 
grizzly  bear  hunter  of  California,  to  finish  my  career 
in  the  Sierra  Nevada.  There  would  I  fain  lay  down 
with  the  Lady,  Ben,  and  Rambler  at  my  side;  there, 
surely,  I  could  find  rest  through  the  long  future, 
among  the  eternal  rocks  and  evergreen  pines. 


POSTSCRIPT. 

To  complete  the  foregoing  narrative,  a  few  words 
.•2main  to  be  added.  After  exhibiting  his  animals  in 
San  Francisco  for  several  years,  Adams,  as  stated  in  the 
Introduction,  removed  to  New  York.  He  took  pas- 
sage with  them  on  the  clipper  ship  Golden  Fleece, 
which  sailed  on  January  7,  1860.  The  voyage  re- 
quired three  months  and  a  half.  Upon  arrival  at 
New  York  he  made  a  contract  with  Phineas  T.  Bamum 
and  thenceforth  exhibited  in  connection  with  Bar- 
num's  shows. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  in  the  spring  of 
1855  Adams  had  a  severe  encounter  with  a  grizzly 
dam  near  his  old  camp  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  ^Mountains. 
He  was  on  that  occasion  stricken  down  by  the  brute, 
and,  though  he  finally  succeeded  in  killing  her,  it  was 
not  before  she  had  inflicted  serious  wounds  upon  his 
head  and  neck.  At  the  same  time  his  bear  Ben  Frank- 
lin, who  had  materially  assisted  him  in  the  fight,  was 
also  injured.  Ben  always  afterward  carried  the  scars 
of  the  conflict  upon  his  face,  though  they  did  not  in 
any  respect  disfigure  him.  As  for  Adams  himself,  when 
his  scalp-wound  healed,  it  left  a  depression  about  the 
size  of  a  silver  dollar  near  the  top  of  his  forehead,  which 
looked  as  if  the  skull  underneath  had  been  removed. 

WTien  Adams  went  to  New  York,  it  was  without 
Ben  Franklin.  That  noble  fellow,  who  had  formed  a 
371 


372  POSTSCRIPT. 

conspicuous  feature  of  the  Pacific  Museum  and  was  a 
great  favorite  with  all  visitors,  had  died  from  some 
unknown  cause  on  January  17,  1858.  The  event  not 
only  affected  Adams  deeply,  but  was  a  subject  of  re- 
gret to  the  San  Francisco  public  in  general.  It  was 
noticed  at  considerable  length  by  the  Evening  Bulletin 
of  January  19,  1858,  in  an  article  entitled  "Death  of 
a  Distinguished  Native  Califomian." 

After  making  his  arrangement  with  Barnum,  Adams 
gave  exhibitions  in  New  York  for  six  weeks.  Before 
the  end  of  that  time,  however,  he  had  become  a  very 
sick  man.  It  was  said  that  in  the  course  of  a  severe 
struggle  with  one  of  his  animals  on  shipboard,  while 
doubling  Cape  Horn,  the  wound  in  his  head  had  been 
torn  open  afresh.  However  this  may  have  been,  it  is  cer- 
tain that,  after  his  reaching  New  York,  the  wound 
became  exceedingly  inflamed;  fever  supervened,  and 
Adams's  condition  of  health  became  alarming.  Upon 
consulting  a  physician,  he  was  informed  that  he  had 
not  long  to  live,  and  was  advised  to  cease  labor.  But 
he  insisted  upon  continuing  at  work  and  made  a  new 
contract  with  Barnum  to  travel  in  connection  with  a 
circus  and  give  exhibitions  through  Connecticut  and 
Massachusetts  during  the  summer  of  1860.  And,  by 
sheer  force  of  will-power,  he  managed,  though  with  dif- 
ficulty, to  comply  with  his  agreement. 

On  the  completion  of  his  contract  Adams  retired  to 
Neponset,  a  small  town  near  Boston,  where  his  rela- 
tives resided.  Upon  reaching  that  place  the  sick  man 
at  once  took  to  his  bed;  and  he  never  rose  from  it 
again.     The   excitement   of   the   exhibition    ring   had 


POSTSCRIPT.  373 

passed  away,  and  his  vital  energies  sank.  On  the 
fifth  day,  his  physician  told  him  he  could  not  live  until 
morning.  He  received  the  announcement  with  ap- 
parent indiflference;  but  at  the  request  of  his  relatives 
he  sent  for  a  clergyman. 

According  to  Barnum — to  whom  we  owe  these  last 
particulars — Adams  said  to  the  clergyman  that,  though 
he  had  told  some  pretty  big  stories  in  the  exhibition 
ring  about  his  bears,  "he  had  always  endeavored  to  do 
the  straight  thing  between  man  and  man."  In  answer 
to  questions  about  his  faith,  he  replied:  "I  have  at- 
tended preaching  every  day,  Sundays  and  all,  for  the 
last  six  years.  Sometimes  an  old  grizzly  gave  me  the 
sermon,  sometimes  it  was  a  panther;  often  it  was  the 
thunder  and  lightning,  the  tempest  or  the  hurricane, 
on  the  peaks  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  or  in  the  gorges  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  But  whatever  preached  to  me, 
it  always  taught  me  the  majesty  of  the  Creator  and 
revealed  to  me  the  undying  and  unchanging  love  oi 
our  kind  Father  in  Heaven.  Although  I  am  a  pretty 
rough  customer,  I  fancy  my  heart  is  in  about  the  right 
place,  and  look  with  confidence  for  that  rest  which  I 
so  much  need,  and  which  I  have  never  enjoyed  upon 
earth."  He  then  desired  the  clergyman  to  pray,  after 
which  he  took  him  by  the  hand,  thanked  him  for  his 
kindness,  and  bade  him  farewell.  In  another  hour  his 
spirit  had  taken  its  flight.  It  was  said  by  those  present 
that  his  face  lighted  with  a  smile  as  the  last  breath  es- 
caped him — and  that  smile  he  carried  with  him  into 
his  grave. 


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